Football, Faith and Leadership: How the Penlands Lead

1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:07,800 What does it take to build a winning team? Is it talent? Preparation? Accountability? 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:13,560 Culture? Or is it something deeper than all of that? Because whether you're trying to win a 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:19,199 national championship on Saturday afternoon, a state championship on Friday night, or safely move 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:25,879 1500 flatbed trailers up and down America's highways every day, sooner or later, everybody 5 00:00:25,879 --> 00:00:32,360 has to buy in. Everybody has a job to do, and everybody has to believe in something bigger than 6 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:39,080 themselves. Today on the Cypress Truck Lines podcast, we're talking football, faith, family and 7 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:45,000 leadership. And I don't think we could have found two better guys for that conversation. Aaron 8 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:50,360 Penland knows what a championship organization looks like firsthand. He was part of not one, but 9 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:56,400 two national championship teams at the University of Nebraska. And today, he's still a diehard 10 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:03,280 Cornhusker who carries lessons from those years into his leadership at Cypress and D3. That's Dave 11 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:09,360 Penland. The third has experienced football from just about every angle player, coach, 12 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:14,560 championship winning head coach. But one of the biggest lessons he's taken from the game isn't 13 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:20,800 about X's and O's. It's about doing the little things right. Establishing a standard and building 14 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:27,400 a culture where people want to be part of what you're doing. Sound familiar? Because those same 15 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:34,000 ideas run straight through Cypress. But there's another piece to this story, and it's the faith, 16 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:40,480 not the kind you put on a billboard. Not the kind you have to announce every five minutes. D3 puts 17 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,920 it perfectly. Sometimes people don't need you to tell them what to believe. They can tell by how 18 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:52,640 you operate, how you treat people, and what you do when nobody is asking for credit. Football taught 19 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,360 these guys about teamwork, discipline, and accountability. Their faith taught them about 20 00:01:57,410 --> 00:02:03,129 service, generosity, and leading by example, and their family taught them what all of that looks 21 00:02:03,129 --> 00:02:09,489 like when you put it into practice. And we're digging into all of it today. All right. And 22 00:02:09,490 --> 00:02:15,929 because you can't have a football episode without actually talking some football, stick around after 23 00:02:15,929 --> 00:02:21,049 the conversation with Aaron and D3, because I've got a couple of Cypress drivers joining me to 24 00:02:21,089 --> 00:02:27,489 plant their flags, defend their teams, talk a little sec versus the Big Ten and tell us exactly 25 00:02:27,490 --> 00:02:32,929 what they're expecting out of the upcoming college football season. There will be predictions, 26 00:02:32,929 --> 00:02:38,289 there will be trash talk, and there will almost certainly be some disagreements. But first, we're 27 00:02:38,289 --> 00:02:43,249 going inside the Penland family playbook to find out how football and faith helped shape the 28 00:02:43,249 --> 00:02:50,209 leadership philosophy behind Cypress truck lines. And if you screw any of it up, well, as 29 00:02:50,210 --> 00:02:55,729 one of Aaron's old Nebraska coaches would say cry mini sun. Let's get into it. 30 00:03:00,490 --> 00:03:05,089 Countdown to the Cypress Truck Lines podcast starts now. 31 00:03:07,410 --> 00:03:14,329 Your number one professional flatbed podcast here to deliver stories, safety updates and company 32 00:03:14,329 --> 00:03:19,009 news directly to your ears. Let's get down to business. 33 00:03:25,210 --> 00:03:31,049 How's the weather out there? Cypress in Sun Belt. Welcome into another episode of the Cypress Truck 34 00:03:31,089 --> 00:03:36,409 Lines podcast. I am your host, Marcus. Thank you so much for being here today. Whether you clicked 35 00:03:36,410 --> 00:03:43,409 download at your favorite podcast site or app, be it Spotify, Google, Apple, whatever 36 00:03:43,409 --> 00:03:50,088 you use, or whether you went over to our website podcast.cypresstruck.com and checked out our landing 37 00:03:50,089 --> 00:03:55,340 page there, we appreciate you being part of today's show. that website is very important 38 00:03:55,340 --> 00:04:00,380 because it's where you can find all of our episodes, who we're talking to, what we're talking 39 00:04:00,380 --> 00:04:05,579 about. And, uh, you know, sometimes we'll put some stats up there, let you guys compare one another 40 00:04:05,580 --> 00:04:10,739 to each other. Uh, also, you can send me an email. You can hit me right in the pocket. As I like to 41 00:04:10,780 --> 00:04:15,820 say, if you've got something you want to hear about on this podcast, maybe you just want to be a 42 00:04:15,820 --> 00:04:22,779 part of this podcast and join us as a guest. Head on over to podcast.cypresstruck.com and send me 43 00:04:22,780 --> 00:04:27,059 an email. I would love to hear from you. We're always taking suggestions for what you guys want 44 00:04:27,059 --> 00:04:33,699 to hear. And, uh, we're always welcoming new guests onto the show. And we got to do that today 45 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:39,659 as D3. That's Dave Penland. The third will join us, uh, alongside Aaron Penland, making another 46 00:04:39,660 --> 00:04:44,459 appearance on the show. And of course, we've got Tony and Kevin drivers coming along. They've 47 00:04:44,459 --> 00:04:49,859 joined us quite a bit here. And based on my group chats that I have with them via text message, 48 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:55,099 these guys are big football fans and they have some thoughts on one another's teams. Can't wait 49 00:04:55,100 --> 00:05:00,339 to get into that. That's coming up in the second segment of the show, so make sure you stay tuned. 50 00:05:00,459 --> 00:05:05,979 Uh, today's episode is really all about football, but it's also about a couple of other things that 51 00:05:05,980 --> 00:05:12,298 come along with football where Cypress is concerned. We're talking about football and faith 52 00:05:12,299 --> 00:05:17,619 and how it influences the leadership here at Cypress. And we're going to dig into that here in 53 00:05:17,619 --> 00:05:23,939 just a few minutes with Aaron and D3. And, uh, let me tell you a lot of experience, both on the 54 00:05:23,939 --> 00:05:29,059 football side of things and on the leadership side of things from these guys. And what you can 55 00:05:29,059 --> 00:05:33,820 really tell during this conversation that I want you to pay attention to is how much these guys 56 00:05:33,820 --> 00:05:39,499 focus on doing the job right and being good leaders and take a lot of pride in it. They see 57 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:44,858 what the company does, and they know that doing the right thing, making the right decision and 58 00:05:44,859 --> 00:05:51,829 being a good leader, being faithful, always Semper fi is a very important part of this whole puzzle, 59 00:05:51,829 --> 00:05:57,709 so pay attention to that. Okay. And in the second segment of the show, I want you to pay attention 60 00:05:57,710 --> 00:06:04,670 to just how much those of us that are just fans can really nerd out over something like an 61 00:06:04,670 --> 00:06:10,230 upcoming football season. Uh, football is one of those things where we get deprived of it for so 62 00:06:10,230 --> 00:06:15,389 many months out of the year, and if for some reason, football season, which I think lasts 63 00:06:15,390 --> 00:06:21,549 between 7 and 8 months, when you're talking pro and college altogether, um, it seems like the 64 00:06:21,549 --> 00:06:26,669 shortest season out there because it also it always seems like baseball and hockey and 65 00:06:26,670 --> 00:06:32,389 basketball, they're just always playing. And us football fans, we kind of get downtrodden in the 66 00:06:32,390 --> 00:06:37,589 off season. What do we talk about, man, I don't want to go out for a beer with my buddies and start 67 00:06:37,589 --> 00:06:43,229 talking about fantasy football in May. All right. So that means I've got May, June, July and part of 68 00:06:43,230 --> 00:06:47,150 August to get through before I can actually really start worrying about this stuff. Well, it's 69 00:06:47,150 --> 00:06:52,670 here. Uh, we recorded this segment on August 25th. I'm okay telling you that because it's going to 70 00:06:52,670 --> 00:06:58,269 be a little bit before the season, and I want you guys to know that by the time you hear this, the 71 00:06:58,269 --> 00:07:03,510 season will have partially kicked off in high school. It's been kicked off high school starts 72 00:07:03,510 --> 00:07:09,669 early. College will have kicked off by the time you guys hear this. And pro football will be right 73 00:07:09,709 --> 00:07:16,189 on the precipice. So it's that time of year. It's right when we should be talking about it. And, uh, I 74 00:07:16,190 --> 00:07:21,230 want to remind you guys, all because I've been giving you this homework in the in the intro for 75 00:07:21,230 --> 00:07:26,988 every show for the last few weeks, maybe even longer than that. Tell a friend that's all we need 76 00:07:26,989 --> 00:07:31,589 you to do out there. Maybe you're helping somebody tarp a load. Maybe you see a guy you haven't seen 77 00:07:31,589 --> 00:07:36,389 for a few months walking across the yard. Hey, if you get into a chat with somebody and you're 78 00:07:36,389 --> 00:07:42,469 enjoying this podcast, tell them about it. That's all we ask. It can really, really help us move this 79 00:07:42,469 --> 00:07:47,279 thing forward into the future. That's all I've got for you. For the intro, I wanted to keep this one 80 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:53,879 short because we've got so much good stuff to get to with D3 and Aaron and with Tony and Kevin. So 81 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:59,759 without further ado, let's get the Penguins in here and talk a little football, faith and 82 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:00,679 leadership. 83 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:14,359 All right. Welcome back in here to the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. Very excited for this segment. 84 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:19,399 Um, this segment actually one that we had already decided we were going to do. And then I had 85 00:08:19,399 --> 00:08:24,319 drivers tell me, hey, you got to get these guys on for this episode. Uh, so the drivers are really 86 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:29,159 looking forward to this too, just like I am. Let's welcome our guest to this segment. Uh, first off, 87 00:08:29,159 --> 00:08:34,159 we've got Aaron Penland joining us again. Aaron, thank you so much for being here, my friend. Uh, 88 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:39,679 really great to have you back on the show. Thanks for having me. Of course. And, uh, joining us for the 89 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:45,400 first time, a real privilege for us to welcome yet another Penland to the show. Uh, we've got David 90 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:51,200 Penland, the third, otherwise known as D3 in here, D3. We appreciate the time. Thank you so much for 91 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:56,719 joining us. Absolutely. Looking forward to it. Well, we're going to have some fun in here today fellas, 92 00:08:56,719 --> 00:09:01,960 because I know that you guys, uh, well, obviously you're involved in running a trucking company. 93 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:08,639 Football plays a really big role in your life. Uh, D3 you are a high school football coach currently. 94 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:13,799 Uh, which high school do you coach for? Uh, University Christian here in Jacksonville. Okay. 95 00:09:13,799 --> 00:09:18,799 And and, uh, Aaron, of course, we've talked about this before, but you are a former Nebraska 96 00:09:18,799 --> 00:09:24,759 Cornhusker, and, uh, you got a little bit of, uh, of championship in your lineage there. Uh, are you 97 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:31,360 wearing the ring right now by any stretch? No. I'm not. Uh, yeah, we we won 98 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,959 two, uh, national championships when I was out there, and this happened to be at the right time 99 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:43,569 and made history. Yeah, you did, man. You did. And, uh, I mean, uh, for the people in 100 00:09:43,570 --> 00:09:47,968 Nebraska. Uh, those are some of the best teams they've ever seen. In fact, some of the teams that 101 00:09:47,969 --> 00:09:54,129 they wish would come back and, and, uh, show themselves here in, in 2026 and beyond. Um, it's got 102 00:09:54,130 --> 00:09:59,649 to feel pretty good to be part of the lineage of the greatest Nebraska football team to ever take 103 00:09:59,650 --> 00:10:06,649 the field. Aaron. Absolutely. That was a really great experience for me 104 00:10:06,689 --> 00:10:13,650 going out to Nebraska. I, uh, got to spend a lot of time with my brother. He of course, he was two 105 00:10:13,650 --> 00:10:20,169 years ahead of me playing on the same football team. So we we got a lot of experience, uh, 106 00:10:20,169 --> 00:10:26,728 experiences together, you know, hunting and, uh, a lot of duck hunting out there and stuff like that. 107 00:10:26,729 --> 00:10:32,769 And so we got a lot of memories that, uh, we tie back to Nebraska. Now, I know that, uh, you're not 108 00:10:32,809 --> 00:10:37,529 taking shots at me, but a lot of times on a football based podcast, because of who I am, people 109 00:10:37,530 --> 00:10:41,889 will say duck hunting, and they don't mean that they're out shooting waterfowl in the fields. 110 00:10:41,889 --> 00:10:47,329 They're talking about Oregon ducks because that's my squad. That's my alma mater. But at five, nine, 111 00:10:47,369 --> 00:10:54,010 160, I was never on the team. But I wear my jersey to every game just in case they need a sub. 112 00:10:54,010 --> 00:11:00,969 So, uh uh, but that's interesting, Aaron, because I did want to touch on that. What did being 113 00:11:00,969 --> 00:11:07,489 a part of a national championship program teach you about what a winning organization actually 114 00:11:07,489 --> 00:11:13,009 looks like? I see, I feel like a lot of times when you talk to these insiders, when a program is 115 00:11:13,010 --> 00:11:17,010 supposed to be good and everybody's picking them to be great, and then they end up turning in a 116 00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:21,889 real mediocre season. A lot of times people will focus inward and say, what's wrong with the 117 00:11:21,889 --> 00:11:28,289 organization? What's wrong with the locker room? Do the coaches have the trust of the players? Um, what 118 00:11:28,289 --> 00:11:32,969 what types of lessons did you learn winning national titles at Nebraska that you can apply 119 00:11:32,969 --> 00:11:39,809 today to the leadership that you have at Cypress? Well, I would say, you know, one of the ones that 120 00:11:39,809 --> 00:11:45,409 just pops off the top of my head would be, you know, teamwork. You know, there's a lot of things 121 00:11:45,409 --> 00:11:51,609 that go into to running the truck line and, you know, you got local drivers, you got southeast 122 00:11:51,610 --> 00:11:57,329 drivers, you got two weak drivers, you got three weak drivers. And you know, everybody has to do 123 00:11:57,330 --> 00:12:03,688 their job for the whole team or the whole, you know, cypress to work. You know, 124 00:12:04,489 --> 00:12:11,129 if we got guys that don't want to do what we're doing, you know, it just makes it difficult. 125 00:12:11,650 --> 00:12:17,169 You know, drivers have their individual goals that they're trying to accomplish. You know, but, you 126 00:12:17,169 --> 00:12:23,449 know it takes teamwork to get what Cypress wants to get done. And so 127 00:12:24,010 --> 00:12:30,849 you know, I talked about you know, we have local drivers. Southeast drivers two week three 128 00:12:30,849 --> 00:12:37,609 week dispatch guys. And each of those guys, you know, play a vital 129 00:12:37,659 --> 00:12:44,299 part in our organization as far as what we ask them to do. But, you know, they can't go out 130 00:12:44,299 --> 00:12:51,260 and on a limb and, and, and and do something else. You know, they gotta do what they're assigned 131 00:12:51,260 --> 00:12:57,379 to do. And, you know, that's where the teamwork comes in, where you're everybody's working 132 00:12:57,379 --> 00:13:03,539 together for the same goal to get the loads covered, get the loads delivered on time, get them 133 00:13:03,539 --> 00:13:10,378 delivered safely. You know, that's that's that's the part of it of being a team at Cypress is, is, 134 00:13:10,379 --> 00:13:16,419 uh, working together to accomplish what we have to do each day. 135 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:23,179 Absolutely. And a lot of that is safety. You know, the main thing is safety. Yeah, I would say. We're 136 00:13:23,179 --> 00:13:29,979 not hauling body parts, right? Correct. Now, uh, D3, uh, you're still around as a 137 00:13:29,979 --> 00:13:35,419 football coach currently. What do you understand about leadership now as a coach? Uh, that maybe you 138 00:13:35,420 --> 00:13:40,699 didn't understand. As a player, is there anything that sticks out to you in that vein? Because, uh, 139 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:45,140 you know, as, as young players, especially high school kids, we think we've got it figured out. And 140 00:13:45,140 --> 00:13:50,339 yeah, coach, you know, he's got his thoughts. But I really understand the world. Uh, anything like that 141 00:13:50,340 --> 00:13:54,659 that comes to mind that maybe you didn't have figured out as a kid that you do have figured out 142 00:13:54,700 --> 00:14:01,659 now as a coach? Yeah, I had the privilege of my dad and Aaron and my grandpa coached me 143 00:14:01,659 --> 00:14:08,379 as I was in high school, and all the stuff that they used to tell me has come true later in 144 00:14:08,380 --> 00:14:14,859 life. So, uh, you know, I just take that approach to what I've been taught. Even in college, my coach 145 00:14:14,859 --> 00:14:20,660 was really a stickler on the little things, doing the little things right and creating your culture. 146 00:14:21,139 --> 00:14:27,859 Um, if your culture is good, big things will happen. As I got older, I. I realized that when I became a 147 00:14:27,859 --> 00:14:34,748 head coach that the main thing is to set your culture and your standard of what you want. Um, you 148 00:14:34,749 --> 00:14:39,829 know, learning from them guys and watching my grandpa and all my uncles run this business. 149 00:14:40,189 --> 00:14:46,509 That's what they have done. Um, Cypress has a great culture, and probably a lot of the 150 00:14:46,509 --> 00:14:51,469 employees that have been here in a long time, guys have enjoyed working here. And the the precedent 151 00:14:51,469 --> 00:14:58,229 that they set, uh, for the employees translates to what I do on the football field and what I've 152 00:14:58,229 --> 00:15:05,189 learned there and here. Um, so I take both. Hand in hand. Now, I didn't give you a 153 00:15:05,189 --> 00:15:08,989 chance to tell us about your college playing career just because you don't have a national 154 00:15:08,989 --> 00:15:14,189 championship. Or maybe you do. Uh, but I feel like we should call that out. Where did you play at D3? 155 00:15:14,229 --> 00:15:19,310 We play that. I played at Georgetown College with Clay, actually. Me and Clay were teammates, and he 156 00:15:19,310 --> 00:15:25,509 ended up marrying my sister. Okay. My best friend's in college, and he wanted in the family. So he came 157 00:15:25,510 --> 00:15:31,188 and asked me if he could date my sister. And what a what a nice way to go about it. Like, I there's a 158 00:15:31,189 --> 00:15:36,628 there's a formula here, and it doesn't surprise me at all that Clay is right down the middle with 159 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:41,549 that man. And I'm sure you know, we probably won't get these stories on the podcast. But now, knowing 160 00:15:41,549 --> 00:15:45,909 that you and Clay were so close in college, I'm hoping one day I can sit down over a tall, cool 161 00:15:45,909 --> 00:15:50,230 one with you guys and, uh, and hear some of the stories, because I bet you guys had some fun out 162 00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:55,628 there at Georgetown College. To this day, we we used to and he was a DB and I was a receiver, so I 163 00:15:55,629 --> 00:16:02,229 had to go against him every single day. So we had some war stories about. And now you guys are on 164 00:16:02,229 --> 00:16:06,629 the same side of the ball, right? You're working together every single day. Yep. We work together. 165 00:16:06,629 --> 00:16:13,349 And we had Coach Little Lee together and his boys are about to be on my team finally. So 166 00:16:13,950 --> 00:16:19,030 we were around each other a lot. And my my sister was, you know, she was my best friend growing up. So 167 00:16:19,030 --> 00:16:25,509 we were always tight. So, uh, this we're still tight to this day. So it's it's it's it's worked out 168 00:16:25,550 --> 00:16:31,119 good. It really it seems like it. And you know, what's crazy to me is the more episodes that I do 169 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:36,359 on this podcast, the more I find out about these deeper connections that you guys don't. You guys 170 00:16:36,359 --> 00:16:42,199 do all work together, but it doesn't stop there. It actually goes a lot deeper with this company in 171 00:16:42,199 --> 00:16:48,078 so many different ways. You know, I met blaze before I ever learned who blaze actually was in 172 00:16:48,079 --> 00:16:53,679 relation to, uh, Matt. And, you know, I had no idea that you and Clay played together and went to 173 00:16:53,680 --> 00:17:00,599 school together. That's so cool, because it gives you guys the opportunity to, um, you know, skip that 174 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:05,279 get to know you phase, which can always be so awkward, especially when you're running a company 175 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:12,039 this size. Um. Fantastic stuff. Thanks for thanks for that. D3. Uh, when did each of you guys realize 176 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,919 that football was teaching you things that you were eventually going to learn outside of, or use 177 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:22,239 outside of football? Excuse me? Um, that always has been one of those things that I look at these 178 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:27,439 guys in the NFL and I wonder, do they know that this is short lived? Do they know that football 179 00:17:27,439 --> 00:17:32,520 can't go on forever? I mean, there's only a couple guys that have even made it to 40, and we tend to 180 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:37,800 talk about them in the greatest of all time context. So, Aaron, I'll start with you here. When 181 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,519 did it really click for you that, hey, some of these locker room lessons from this really good 182 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:49,199 coach are going to apply to things outside of football. I think there was a disconnect with me. I 183 00:17:49,199 --> 00:17:56,199 don't think it ever, ever connected. At least you're honest about it. It's there 184 00:17:56,199 --> 00:18:02,879 to. I. Was just there to win a championship. I was there to go hard. You know, I think a lot of that 185 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:08,959 stuff can be, you know, translated over into the business world. But, you know, at the time, you know, 186 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:15,480 I was focused on getting on the field, working hard, trying to do my best to win a 187 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:20,559 championship. Now, you were one of those cowboy collar guys, weren't you? You had the cowboy collar 188 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:25,199 on and you looked the part for sure. So I can understand because you need guys like that too. 189 00:18:25,239 --> 00:18:30,169 You need that. That Ray Lewis on the field that just eats, sleeps and breathes football and that's 190 00:18:30,170 --> 00:18:36,729 all that matters. Correct. He was around when football was football. Yeah, absolutely. Grew up 191 00:18:37,010 --> 00:18:41,449 watching guys like Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White go out there and actually get to hit a 192 00:18:41,449 --> 00:18:48,049 quarterback, right. Aaron. Yeah. Uh, I forgot to ask a very important question about 193 00:18:48,050 --> 00:18:52,889 something that echoes in Aaron's head from his time at the University of Nebraska. Uh, go right 194 00:18:52,890 --> 00:18:59,848 ahead. Well, it was it was a saying from a coach, uh, coach Kevin Steel and, uh, he 195 00:18:59,849 --> 00:19:06,729 was, uh, he's a guy from South Carolina. So he's a kind of a country boy, I guess. But, uh, 196 00:19:07,050 --> 00:19:12,089 he would anytime you screwed up, he would say crime and his son. 197 00:19:13,889 --> 00:19:20,409 And he's probably followed by a couple expletives after that. But 198 00:19:20,689 --> 00:19:27,129 that's that's what echoes in my chamber when, when I, when I hear that. Crime and his son. 199 00:19:27,449 --> 00:19:32,849 What are you doing? I'm sure you've never said that to your kids once, have you? 200 00:19:34,889 --> 00:19:41,849 I have. Uh, d3. How about for you? Same thing. Uh. Was there ever a moment that it clicked when football 201 00:19:41,850 --> 00:19:48,170 was teaching you things that you were going to apply to the outside world? Probably. You've been 202 00:19:48,170 --> 00:19:53,289 told this your whole life that football is is preparing you for life, right? That's what our 203 00:19:53,290 --> 00:19:57,489 coaches used to say. And I say it to our guys now because not everybody wants to play football. 204 00:19:57,489 --> 00:20:04,289 Nobody? No, it's a lot of work. Nobody. It's a lot of commitment. You have to put the fun stuff 205 00:20:04,290 --> 00:20:09,410 aside if you really want to take it somewhere. So a lot of people can't do it. And, you know, your 206 00:20:09,410 --> 00:20:15,169 coaches tell you this all the time that it later in life you understand why we're doing all this 207 00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:21,449 stuff. And I think it's shaped me, um, especially in college. Like I said, my coach was a stickler about 208 00:20:21,449 --> 00:20:28,419 things, and it translated over to when I started working here and became a head coach. I 209 00:20:28,579 --> 00:20:34,339 realized that everything that they were saying was coming true. So it's just it's kind of it 210 00:20:34,379 --> 00:20:41,139 molded me to what I've become today. Absolutely. You know, another part of your 211 00:20:41,140 --> 00:20:47,180 guys's leadership philosophy, we talk about how football influences it. But the faith in the 212 00:20:47,180 --> 00:20:52,979 family also influences a lot of leadership decisions that get made at Cypress. And you can 213 00:20:52,980 --> 00:20:58,779 see that. You know, I was told some of my first couple of hours being there at Cypress and 214 00:20:58,780 --> 00:21:03,860 meeting everybody and learning about the company. One thing that was told to me is that Semper Fi, 215 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:09,938 always faithful, whether that be to the driver, to the other four wheelers on the road, to the people 216 00:21:09,939 --> 00:21:16,339 we work with, it runs through the lifeblood of the company. Uh D3 how does your faith 217 00:21:16,339 --> 00:21:21,699 influence the way you believe a leader should treat people? Because again, I want to say on this 218 00:21:21,699 --> 00:21:27,099 podcast, we get a lot of examples of people saying, I'm retiring here. This is the best company I've 219 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:32,180 ever worked for. This is the best family I've ever worked for. I know the faith plays a big part in 220 00:21:32,220 --> 00:21:38,859 that, so talk me through it a lot. You know where I was brought up? All of us were brought up, um, 221 00:21:39,060 --> 00:21:44,379 going to church when the doors were open every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night when 222 00:21:44,380 --> 00:21:51,339 they used to do that. Um, and, uh, just getting that instilled in my brain as a young 223 00:21:51,339 --> 00:21:58,219 child all the way through high school, I went to a Christian school. You see also. So I've always been 224 00:21:58,219 --> 00:22:04,699 instilled with that. And, um, then going to college, uh, kind of going on your own and 225 00:22:05,459 --> 00:22:10,900 trying to figure out things on your own and getting finding a church, um, up there and getting 226 00:22:10,900 --> 00:22:15,699 involved in that, then coming back home and, you know, repeating the, the what you've always been 227 00:22:15,699 --> 00:22:22,099 taught. And the examples that I had growing up were my dad and my uncles and my grandpa. You know, 228 00:22:22,140 --> 00:22:28,019 that was a big part of our life, was being in church and being faithful and, um, 229 00:22:28,419 --> 00:22:35,339 learning how to help people and be generous to people and mentoring people and, 230 00:22:35,339 --> 00:22:42,140 and all that stuff. And I think that's, you know, a big part of, of Cypress is we, you know, even with 231 00:22:42,140 --> 00:22:48,419 our school in Cypress, we, we try to mentor and push people in the right direction. Um, by example, you 232 00:22:48,420 --> 00:22:55,260 know, I've heard a driver say this a couple of times that I never knew. 233 00:22:55,260 --> 00:23:01,818 I didn't have to know Cypress was a faith based company. I could just tell by the owners and how 234 00:23:01,819 --> 00:23:07,338 they operated things. You know, we're not going to go out and boast everything. It's just what we've 235 00:23:07,339 --> 00:23:13,379 been taught. And how we run things is, is, you know, being being the example by not saying anything, 236 00:23:13,380 --> 00:23:20,269 just doing what's right. And, um, uh, you know, we've learned that from from Dido and my dad 237 00:23:20,310 --> 00:23:26,829 and these guys that it's the faith of of what we've learned is put by 238 00:23:26,829 --> 00:23:32,110 example. And I feel like they they do a good job of that. And, you know, we you know, I try to model 239 00:23:32,110 --> 00:23:38,389 myself after them. So like I said, we don't, you know, go out and yell it. We don't have to we live 240 00:23:38,430 --> 00:23:44,709 by it. So that's kind of it brings a big, you know, when you do that they want to be like you. 241 00:23:44,709 --> 00:23:50,829 And being a leader is, you know, a leader is not necessarily somebody that yells and screams and 242 00:23:50,829 --> 00:23:56,670 talks and yells and does all the stuff. It's, you know, they do it by action. And I think these guys 243 00:23:56,670 --> 00:24:03,349 have, you know, do a good job of of showing that. Absolutely. I think so as well. And, and you know, 244 00:24:03,350 --> 00:24:08,629 it's that is something I found that's been so interesting as I've worked with the company for 245 00:24:08,629 --> 00:24:13,869 longer and made more podcast episodes, you notice that that's not something you guys are out there 246 00:24:13,869 --> 00:24:17,749 hitting everybody in the face with. It's not something that people are constantly talking 247 00:24:17,750 --> 00:24:23,069 about. It is an action based thing. It's how you treat people. It's the coaching that people 248 00:24:23,069 --> 00:24:29,669 receive. It's the, uh, the trust and the, um, I guess, the forgiveness. You know, not everybody makes a 249 00:24:30,189 --> 00:24:36,349 a mistake and means to do it. And you guys seem to really understand that, help drivers coach them 250 00:24:36,349 --> 00:24:41,988 along. And, um, it I think it's really interesting. And it might even kind of discount a little bit 251 00:24:42,030 --> 00:24:48,708 this question that I'm going to go to Aaron with here next. Um, but Aaron, how do you balance openly 252 00:24:48,709 --> 00:24:55,109 living your faith, uh, with leading employees who might not share that faith? Because it's a lot 253 00:24:55,109 --> 00:25:00,150 like what D3 said. You guys aren't putting the Bible in the glove compartment of every truck 254 00:25:00,150 --> 00:25:04,509 that you put somebody in. You guys are just showing that this is how we run the company. This 255 00:25:04,510 --> 00:25:10,110 is how we live our lives and setting the example. So how do you balance that faith leading people 256 00:25:10,110 --> 00:25:16,919 who might not follow the exact same path? Well, yeah. Like, uh, D3 said, you know, you you 257 00:25:16,959 --> 00:25:22,319 lead by example. You know, they're, you know, the principles that you, you know, you based your life 258 00:25:22,319 --> 00:25:29,040 on, on the Bible. And, uh, I think that's how you got to go about it. I mean, we're called to be salt and 259 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:35,839 light to to everybody. So, yeah, we just I mean, we just want to really do the, the right 260 00:25:35,839 --> 00:25:42,719 thing, what's right by our drivers. You know, we don't want to withhold anything 261 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:48,999 from them. Absolutely. Now, uh, you talk about, you know, setting the example, leading by example, 262 00:25:48,999 --> 00:25:55,240 leading with with actions. Um, I have to assume, Aaron, that you picked up some of this stuff from 263 00:25:55,240 --> 00:26:01,399 your dad, uh, because, you know, he founded this company. Uh, you guys all worked at it from a young 264 00:26:01,439 --> 00:26:07,999 age. Uh, you know, you were around it. You saw how he led. Uh, what did you learn from your dad about 265 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:13,759 leadership with without him ever sitting you down and specifically saying this is how you lead. 266 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:20,119 Maybe something that you saw him do that set an example for you that you just kind of inherently 267 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:26,439 knew how to do it because you saw dad do it the right way. Aaron. I would say, you know, taking the 268 00:26:26,439 --> 00:26:33,279 bull by the horns, I guess, you know, don't wait around to see what is going to happen. You know, 269 00:26:33,319 --> 00:26:39,279 if there's something that needs to be done, go ahead and get it done. Volunteer. Then you know 270 00:26:39,319 --> 00:26:46,199 that that really can apply to, uh, you know, drivers, you know, we're looking for drivers to deliver 271 00:26:46,199 --> 00:26:53,199 loads. And, you know, you know, a lot of times some guys are picky on loads and, and other drivers 272 00:26:53,199 --> 00:26:59,920 will take that load, get it off so fast. They're on another load. And you know, that's that's what I 273 00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:06,879 appreciate about drivers that, uh, they seem to love to work here. They, they, they just want 274 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:12,969 to get that next load off and move on to the next project that that we have. Yeah. That's a good. 275 00:27:13,009 --> 00:27:19,649 That's a good place to to transition to D3 here. Uh D3 because obviously that's your grandpa that 276 00:27:19,649 --> 00:27:25,290 we're talking about here when we talk about, uh, you know, Dave Penland senior. Um, talk to me a 277 00:27:25,290 --> 00:27:29,969 little bit about what you learned not only from grandpa, from your dad, just watching them do it 278 00:27:29,969 --> 00:27:34,769 because you also grew up around this. Uh, you've been watching this for a really long time. What 279 00:27:34,769 --> 00:27:41,368 did you learn? I had the opportunity to get told that you got to be a leader. And so 280 00:27:41,729 --> 00:27:47,810 they've always, you know, counted on me to be a leader as I was growing up and positions I was in. 281 00:27:47,810 --> 00:27:54,568 And so they didn't tell me how to be a leader. I just watched them be leaders. And, you know, 282 00:27:54,609 --> 00:27:59,769 that's how I got taught how to be a leader. Just watching what they do and how they operate and 283 00:28:00,090 --> 00:28:07,009 how my dad does stuff, how my grandpa did stuff and just, um, uh, there was he was a very deedle 284 00:28:07,009 --> 00:28:14,009 was a very unique person that, um, uh, he's very smart. And how he 285 00:28:14,010 --> 00:28:20,249 operated and what he did. And, you know, you find yourself to this day saying, you know, DD would 286 00:28:20,250 --> 00:28:26,688 have did it this way. And, uh, just the little things that he's always done and 287 00:28:26,729 --> 00:28:33,530 that he's taught these guys that how to how to do things the right 288 00:28:33,530 --> 00:28:39,609 way and, um, you know, everybody just you don't have to be taught to be a leader. 289 00:28:40,689 --> 00:28:45,369 Some people are naturally born leaders, and he was naturally born leaders. And you just follow what 290 00:28:45,369 --> 00:28:52,169 he does and how he did it. And, you know, he touched everybody at this shop office and 291 00:28:52,409 --> 00:28:59,370 how he did things and how he how the the leader he was, you know, translated to everybody else. He 292 00:28:59,370 --> 00:29:03,928 didn't really have to tell anybody out to be a leader. He just he was the leader. And everybody 293 00:29:03,969 --> 00:29:10,180 followed what he did. And and he learned from that stuff. And so we have we had really good examples 294 00:29:10,180 --> 00:29:17,139 of a true leader and it's helped us out for sure. Yeah. The I, I must say here, the 295 00:29:17,139 --> 00:29:23,419 Penland family has set the bar really high. What with the company being as successful as it is, the 296 00:29:23,419 --> 00:29:29,139 drivers being as happy as they are. National championships on the mantel. I mean, it's kind of a 297 00:29:29,140 --> 00:29:34,699 high bar, but it it's understandable that you guys all learned from one another and everybody 298 00:29:34,699 --> 00:29:40,779 learned from DV, uh, because that's that that is how the company has continued to be so successful 299 00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:46,979 all these years, doing things the right way, doing things the Cypress way. Um, and D3, I'm going to stay 300 00:29:46,979 --> 00:29:52,738 here with you because, uh, as as a coach currently, I know that you're constantly balancing, uh, all 301 00:29:52,739 --> 00:29:57,019 the things that you have to do at the office during the day with all of the game planning that 302 00:29:57,020 --> 00:30:02,899 goes in, uh, to being a high school football coach, all of the, you know, personality organizing and 303 00:30:02,900 --> 00:30:08,739 maybe, uh, you know, keeping a lid on some of the emotions that come with football. I wonder if 304 00:30:08,780 --> 00:30:14,059 you've ever caught yourself kind of giving somebody at Cypress almost the same speech that 305 00:30:14,060 --> 00:30:19,659 you've given your football team, or given a player in a coaching moment? Um, is there anything like 306 00:30:19,660 --> 00:30:26,539 that that bubbles to mind when I ask that? I try to separate the two as much as possible? Yeah. 307 00:30:26,540 --> 00:30:33,500 Uh, no. Not necessarily. Now, you might catch me on a bad day or something, and I might might just be 308 00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:40,419 snippet, but I try to keep football, football, Cypress or Cypress. So. And, you know, 309 00:30:40,459 --> 00:30:46,258 there's not really a lot of people that can push you that way here at Cypress. I mean, well, 310 00:30:47,379 --> 00:30:54,139 we're all so close. It's, you know, we we argue and have our spouse. But at the end of the day, we've 311 00:30:54,140 --> 00:31:00,978 all been around each other for 25, you know, all these guys 40 years. So it's it's trying to 312 00:31:01,020 --> 00:31:07,859 balance all of it together and still not drown yourself. That's. That's 313 00:31:07,859 --> 00:31:13,379 probably the biggest challenge. Absolutely. Now, you know, I have to ask this, uh, because of your 314 00:31:13,379 --> 00:31:18,020 history, uh, if you've ever gotten an argument with Clay before, you guys ever go settle that in the 315 00:31:18,020 --> 00:31:21,819 yard with running some routes? You know, you're gonna. You're gonna press up on him. He's gonna try 316 00:31:21,819 --> 00:31:26,938 to beat you off the line with a quick slam or anything like that. No, but not really with Clay, 317 00:31:26,939 --> 00:31:33,139 but I do. My dad. Yeah. So they did an article when I first became a head coach about. We won a state 318 00:31:33,140 --> 00:31:37,179 championship my second year, and they did an article about our family because Aaron coaches, I 319 00:31:37,219 --> 00:31:43,939 coach my dad. The article was Coach Pendleton's boss during the daytime and I'm 320 00:31:44,619 --> 00:31:49,579 his boss at practice. So the only time I ever get yelled at my dad and I get in trouble was at 321 00:31:49,579 --> 00:31:55,459 football practice. So I took advantage of that for a couple of years. Got it. Got it. And and I'm sure 322 00:31:55,499 --> 00:31:59,939 now is it, is it to the point now where you're not treading lightly anymore? Was there a time in that 323 00:31:59,939 --> 00:32:04,709 relationship where at football practice, you were worried dad was going to throw down some tackling 324 00:32:04,709 --> 00:32:09,189 dummies and you guys were going to go Oklahoma, drill right there on the 50. He always wants to do 325 00:32:09,189 --> 00:32:15,988 that. But he's he's gotten calm in his old age. So he it's not as bad. It's fun. 326 00:32:16,030 --> 00:32:22,189 Uh I mean beat on my dad has been I think my dad's missed one game in my whole career. Did I 327 00:32:22,189 --> 00:32:27,589 never missed any. And so it's I've, you know, football and my dad and Dede all have always 328 00:32:27,629 --> 00:32:33,630 they've always been there. So it's fun for sure. And then for sure I mean it's 329 00:32:34,429 --> 00:32:40,229 most families can't be around each other or can't stand each other. I mean, let's in this world, let's 330 00:32:40,270 --> 00:32:46,189 be honest, there's not many families that are like ours that, you know, we're always around each other, 331 00:32:46,189 --> 00:32:53,109 always doing things together or, you know, that's that's not like it is today. And so this family is 332 00:32:53,109 --> 00:33:00,109 unique and it's special to be able to do that for sure. Yeah. It makes things. Work. 333 00:33:00,269 --> 00:33:06,949 That's really how I got out to Nebraska. I, I went out to, uh, you know, I had accepted a 334 00:33:06,949 --> 00:33:13,910 scholarship to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Tennessee. In Virginia? Yeah, that's what I meant. 335 00:33:14,030 --> 00:33:20,629 Lynchburg, Virginia. Yeah. And, uh, I went out to 336 00:33:20,670 --> 00:33:27,188 Nebraska with Matt about two weeks before I went to camp up in Lynchburg and, uh, 337 00:33:27,189 --> 00:33:33,909 just had a great time with him out there. And so I wound up going to Liberty, and, uh, I, 338 00:33:34,469 --> 00:33:41,030 uh, completed two a days up there, and I just they wanted me to 339 00:33:41,070 --> 00:33:47,949 play, and I wanted to red shirt. And so I decided that I was going to go walk on at 340 00:33:47,949 --> 00:33:54,949 Nebraska. And so that's how I got out to Nebraska, and I made it out there. And, 341 00:33:55,030 --> 00:34:01,800 and Matt, uh, redshirted that year. That's that's pretty much how I got out there. 342 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:07,040 Was following the brother. You know, just wanted to spend time with my brother. Yeah. Be on the 343 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:13,120 football team. You know, I think, uh, what what D3 said there is, is so poignant because I have a 344 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:20,039 great relationship with my sister. Um, I really do. I we we, of course, bickered and fought. She was my 345 00:34:20,039 --> 00:34:24,879 older sister. She was, uh, just out of high school right before I got into high school. So sort of 346 00:34:24,919 --> 00:34:30,760 had that age gap between us where I was probably more annoying as a kid than I was an actual 347 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:35,878 friend. But I really looked up to her. But I'll tell you right now, if I worked for her at her 348 00:34:35,879 --> 00:34:41,638 Farmers insurance office in enterprise, Oregon, she would beat me loud every single day because she 349 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:46,679 would not be able to live with it. And that's just how a lot of sibling relationships are. But you 350 00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:52,519 guys is is very unique because you work very close with one another, you coach with one another, 351 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:57,319 you go to church with one another. Uh, I've seen the pictures. You're hanging out family barbecues 352 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:03,240 and things like that with one another. It's a close knit group and it shows through, um, all the 353 00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:10,199 way down to, you know, guys in the shop, the guys out in orientation, the guys at CTC, uh, the drivers, 354 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:15,360 of course, they all talk about it. And, uh, if you haven't heard him talk about it enough, just go 355 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:20,600 back and listen to more episodes of this podcast. You get a lot of personal anecdotes about that 356 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:27,479 relationship and how highly regarded it is from the employees of this company. Um, and I just 357 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,159 think it's so unique, uh, to see you guys get along so well. And, uh, I know that there's going to be 358 00:35:33,159 --> 00:35:38,040 times behind closed doors. That's exactly what closed doors are for. Working this out like 359 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:42,799 siblings. Work it out, right? I could see the smile on d three's face. There's there's always going to 360 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:48,759 be those times. But at the end of the day, the goal is still the same. And, um, Aaron, I, you know, I'm 361 00:35:48,759 --> 00:35:53,689 sure it was like that on the football field. It's fall camp right now. We're recording this on the 362 00:35:53,689 --> 00:35:59,049 25th of August, and every football team in the country is in fall camp. And what happens in fall 363 00:35:59,050 --> 00:36:04,929 camp? You end up fighting guys that are wearing the exact same clothes that you're wearing. Um, but 364 00:36:04,969 --> 00:36:10,209 it's a brotherhood, right? You get that out of your system so that you can go out and hit guys 365 00:36:10,209 --> 00:36:15,889 wearing different colors than you. Um, can you kind of talk about that relationship a little bit? 366 00:36:15,929 --> 00:36:20,889 Aaron, is there is it, uh, do you see that on the football field when you played and now when 367 00:36:20,889 --> 00:36:25,569 you're coaching as sort of the same way that you and your brothers work things out, when things 368 00:36:25,570 --> 00:36:32,049 might get a little bit rocky at Cypress these days? Yeah. You know, I could say, you know, we we do 369 00:36:32,049 --> 00:36:38,329 have our differences, but, you know. Yeah, my mom is always 370 00:36:38,850 --> 00:36:45,449 kept us together, you know, as far. As. You know, we always talk about, you know, having unity 371 00:36:45,929 --> 00:36:52,849 amongst us. She's that calming presence for you. It sounds like. Well, I mean, I, I just I just think, you 372 00:36:52,850 --> 00:36:59,569 know, she, uh, she was a big influence when we were growing up. I always do things together. Always, you 373 00:36:59,569 --> 00:37:06,329 know, have each other's backs. And, you know, you know, we're going to have disagreements here. But, 374 00:37:06,370 --> 00:37:12,929 you know, we we we decided that we're going to face it with a, with a united 375 00:37:12,929 --> 00:37:18,969 front. And, you know, we're not going to, you know, do anything that's going to jeopardize our 376 00:37:19,009 --> 00:37:25,209 relationship. Sure. We want to want to be friends and and want to want to make this company 377 00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:31,249 successful. Absolutely. You can see it. You really can. Uh, fellas, I've taken up quite a bit of your 378 00:37:31,250 --> 00:37:37,049 time already here today. I don't want to keep you too much longer, but I do happen to know that the 379 00:37:37,050 --> 00:37:42,929 drivers are waiting for me to ask a pretty specific question here, and, uh, it's it's a fun one. 380 00:37:42,930 --> 00:37:48,889 All right, we're going to turn it back to football and, uh, D3, I'll start with you here. You've already 381 00:37:48,889 --> 00:37:54,179 got a state championship under your belt. How do you feel about you got three state championships 382 00:37:54,179 --> 00:37:59,739 under your belt? I am talking to football royalty in the state of Florida right now. Uh, how are you 383 00:37:59,740 --> 00:38:04,739 feeling about this season? Man, you got to be getting close to that first game here. Um, how 384 00:38:04,739 --> 00:38:09,100 things looking. What's your outlook? How do you feel about the squad this year? Well, we're 385 00:38:09,139 --> 00:38:15,928 actually in game this week is game two. So we played a kickoff classic and we won 3043 386 00:38:15,929 --> 00:38:22,860 to 6. Wow. And then we played a the number 33 ranked team in the state 387 00:38:22,860 --> 00:38:29,699 of Florida Friday. And we beat them with a walk off field goal. No time on the clock. So we're 388 00:38:29,780 --> 00:38:36,579 one zero. Take down the powerhouse five eight Pontevedra Sharks. And this week we play Trinity 389 00:38:36,580 --> 00:38:41,219 Christian as our big rival district championship already because there's not many teams in our 390 00:38:41,219 --> 00:38:47,540 district and if we win, we most. If we win, we'll have a playoff game. If you lose, you kind of 391 00:38:47,580 --> 00:38:53,779 jeopardize that. So it's a big game. We got a good squad. As long as we can stay injury free 392 00:38:53,779 --> 00:39:00,659 and not have practices like we had this morning, we'll be fine. Hey, just in case any of the players 393 00:39:00,659 --> 00:39:05,859 are listening out there, it was the 25th of August. You had a questionable one. So clean it. Up, fellas. 394 00:39:05,899 --> 00:39:12,859 Day to day. But there's always tomorrow, right? Yes, sir. That's what I told them. We gotta 395 00:39:12,860 --> 00:39:17,979 have your own two this week. Now we gotta go two and. Oh, so we'll see what they do and see how they 396 00:39:17,979 --> 00:39:23,658 respond. All right. Well, good luck to you for the rest of the season. Uh, looking forward to maybe 397 00:39:23,659 --> 00:39:28,738 checking in with you at the end of the season, see if you got number four under your belt this year. 398 00:39:28,899 --> 00:39:34,139 Uh, impressive. Impressive record that you've got there with the school. D3. Thanks for, uh, thanks for 399 00:39:34,139 --> 00:39:38,378 talking to us a little bit about it. I know you spend a lot of time with Mike's in your face and 400 00:39:38,379 --> 00:39:42,259 the local media wanting to hear about it. Uh, so we're glad that you could share it here on the 401 00:39:42,260 --> 00:39:48,549 podcast. Now, Aaron, I have to ask you about your allegiance. Are you a Cornhusker until you die. You 402 00:39:48,550 --> 00:39:53,749 bled for that team, and you've got hardware on the wall. Is that a team that you root for during the 403 00:39:53,790 --> 00:40:00,149 actual college football season still to this day? Yes. I'm a diehard Nebraska 404 00:40:00,149 --> 00:40:07,109 Cornhusker. Okay. Well, I do want to extend a very special invite out to you. Uh, if you are 405 00:40:07,110 --> 00:40:12,750 feeling the need to travel across the country to watch your football team play, I throw an 406 00:40:12,750 --> 00:40:18,189 absolutely award winning tailgate that's got 15 years under its belt out here at Autzen Stadium. 407 00:40:18,189 --> 00:40:22,829 And your Cornhuskers are coming to visit my ducks in the middle of the year. So you're thinking 408 00:40:22,830 --> 00:40:28,708 about taking a pilgrimage? Having fun? Yeah. Come on out to the Pacific Northwest. Bring the family, man. 409 00:40:28,870 --> 00:40:34,309 I'll feed you. I'll get you as, uh, whatever kind of cold beverage you want. And I'll show you how we 410 00:40:34,310 --> 00:40:41,148 do things out here on the West Coast. Cool ducks. How are you feeling about your. How are you 411 00:40:41,149 --> 00:40:46,029 feeling about your Cornhuskers this year? I'm feeling excited. I think they're going to have a 412 00:40:46,030 --> 00:40:52,989 good season. I sure hope so. It's been too long. Yes, spoken like 413 00:40:52,989 --> 00:40:59,389 a true diehard fan and somebody that is bled for that squad. I love it. He's getting tired of 414 00:40:59,389 --> 00:41:06,109 watching old highlights of how good Nebraska used to be. I hear you. I hear you. Well, uh, 415 00:41:06,149 --> 00:41:11,468 here's to a great season for both of your guys's teams. And I really want to thank you for coming 416 00:41:11,469 --> 00:41:15,790 on here and having this sort of a little bit more intimate conversation, a little bit more personal 417 00:41:15,790 --> 00:41:21,269 conversation than what we've had before. Uh, the drivers, the people listening really appreciate it. 418 00:41:21,269 --> 00:41:26,149 Uh, they they wanted to hear from you. I told you guys off the top that, uh, I had a couple of 419 00:41:26,149 --> 00:41:32,069 drivers that came on and joined me to talk to one another about their teams and talk. SEC in Big Ten. 420 00:41:32,070 --> 00:41:37,669 And after we went off the air, they said, these are these are two guys that you have to get in for 421 00:41:37,669 --> 00:41:42,309 this episode. So I can't thank you guys enough for coming to join me and and speak from your 422 00:41:42,310 --> 00:41:49,269 positions, not only as leaders at Cypress, but also as football players and coaches. Um, 423 00:41:49,310 --> 00:41:55,070 this has been fantastic, fellas. Aaron D3, thank you so much for the time today. I'll leave just a 424 00:41:55,070 --> 00:41:58,990 little bit of space here for any final thoughts that you might have. If there's anything you want 425 00:41:58,990 --> 00:42:05,789 to say uh, before we let you go, now's the time. D3 I'll start with you. Yeah. We always, 426 00:42:05,790 --> 00:42:12,789 uh, simplify and always be safe. I think that's, you know, the Cypress way. 427 00:42:12,830 --> 00:42:18,950 They know it, we know it, and that's the only way. Well said, well said. For all the drivers and 428 00:42:18,950 --> 00:42:25,029 everything they do for us, all employees, they do a great job. So we're we're proud of them and proud 429 00:42:25,029 --> 00:42:30,990 of what Cypress has become. Thanks for that, D3. We appreciate the time. Aaron, final thoughts from you. 430 00:42:30,990 --> 00:42:36,549 Before we let you go, my friend. I would. Say our drivers on the road are the front and center of 431 00:42:36,590 --> 00:42:42,839 who we are and what we do. They're the backbone that keeps this business going. 432 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:50,159 Very well, said man, and that is 100% true. They know it. You know it. Everybody knows it. Aaron 433 00:42:50,159 --> 00:42:54,759 D3 thank you so much. You guys. Have a great evening a great day. Excuse me. And we'll get you 434 00:42:54,759 --> 00:42:58,439 back on here again soon. Okay, fellas. Thanks, Marcus. Thanks, Marcus. 435 00:43:06,679 --> 00:43:12,519 Crime and his son. What a great segment we got there from Aaron and D3. Big thanks to those guys. 436 00:43:12,519 --> 00:43:16,879 And I told you in the intro, we're not going to let you go without a little bit of trash talk. And 437 00:43:16,879 --> 00:43:22,159 that's what football is all about. So let's bring a couple drivers in here and hear who it is that 438 00:43:22,159 --> 00:43:27,040 they're going to plant their flags for, and who they think is taking home the hardware this year. 439 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:40,239 You know, ever since we started working with Cypress Truck Lines and Sun Belt as well, What 440 00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:47,039 I've realized is that we have so many college football fans and so many pro football fans, 441 00:43:47,079 --> 00:43:52,839 not only on the staff, but throughout all the terminals. Everybody wants a piece of this thing, 442 00:43:52,839 --> 00:43:58,039 and we got two drivers here that have been chomping at the bit to get in here and have an 443 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:04,079 episode dedicated to talking football, so let's bring them in right now. I think we've been 444 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:09,839 talking about this for a couple of months. And joining me, first and foremost, we have got Kevin 445 00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:15,399 Barritt on the line. Kevin it's good to have you man. It's finally here. Are you as excited to come 446 00:44:15,399 --> 00:44:21,639 on this podcast and talk football as I am man. Marcus let me tell you I got the pig missiles in 447 00:44:21,679 --> 00:44:27,278 hand and I'm ready. All right. You're set up, man, I love it. Well, Kevin, we always appreciate the time. 448 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:32,319 Thanks for joining us for this one. We're going to have some fun today. Uh, also on the line, a guy 449 00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:37,599 that's on this podcast a lot when Kevin's on it, and we're fine with that. We love having this duo 450 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:42,850 on. Uh, we got Tony Miller on the line as well. Tony, thank you so much for being here as well. Man, are 451 00:44:42,850 --> 00:44:49,809 you pumped about this one? Marcus I am so pumped about football. I can't wait man, 452 00:44:49,810 --> 00:44:56,209 I can't wait. And that actually makes me want to hit you guys with a logistics question. First and 453 00:44:56,210 --> 00:45:02,609 foremost, because you guys out of anybody you know your logistics. So being a truck driver 454 00:45:02,610 --> 00:45:07,688 sometimes involves being out on the road on Saturdays. And that's when college football 455 00:45:07,689 --> 00:45:12,969 happens for the most part. What's your Saturday routine look like? Tony will start with you during 456 00:45:12,970 --> 00:45:19,929 football season if you're home. Are you one TV? Are you multiple TVs? Are you out at a at 457 00:45:19,929 --> 00:45:26,009 a place that's got a lot of TVs on the wall? Uh, what's it look like for you and also Pepper in 458 00:45:26,049 --> 00:45:31,489 there? How much are you trying to make sure that you're going to be home on Saturday rather than 459 00:45:31,489 --> 00:45:38,449 out running during college football? I'm. I'm still a two week drive or so, but when I am 460 00:45:38,450 --> 00:45:43,649 home, I'm either here at the house watching football, or I go to Buffalo Wild Wings where 461 00:45:43,649 --> 00:45:50,009 there's multiple TVs. Or B dubs, multiple TVs and more wings than you can shake a stick at, 462 00:45:50,009 --> 00:45:55,889 right? Exactly. What's your favorite wing sauce over at B dubs? 463 00:45:57,169 --> 00:46:04,009 So I like it mild. I am not a hot, spicy guy at all. Any any thoughts on that, Kevin? 464 00:46:06,169 --> 00:46:13,009 Yeah, I was gonna say that's kind of boring. It goes right along with his, uh, make believe that 465 00:46:13,010 --> 00:46:19,569 he's a big fan of. His make believe college. Now, are you taking shots at this university that 466 00:46:19,569 --> 00:46:26,089 we've been talking about in the text chat? Kevin. That would be the one. All right, Tony, 467 00:46:26,090 --> 00:46:33,090 introduce me to this fictitious university that you're such a big fan of. The biggest college 468 00:46:33,090 --> 00:46:40,059 in Iowa is actually the University of Okoboji. Okoboji, but they haven't fielded a football 469 00:46:40,060 --> 00:46:46,539 team for a while. Right. Right, right. They, they well, they're 470 00:46:46,540 --> 00:46:52,979 undefeated because they only play on September 31st are smart. That's a good way to keep your 471 00:46:52,980 --> 00:46:59,300 record up there with the, uh, with the elite in college football. Exactly. They play one game a 472 00:46:59,300 --> 00:47:06,179 year and it's on September 31st. I love it, I love it. Well, uh, I. Know you guys 473 00:47:06,179 --> 00:47:13,139 are both SEC fans here, and, Tony, if I'm not mistaken, you're a Florida Gator, right? Go, 474 00:47:13,139 --> 00:47:20,019 Gators. Go, Gators! And, uh, Kevin, you are an Alabama Crimson Tide fan. One of many, uh, 475 00:47:20,019 --> 00:47:26,859 that are that that frequent the, uh, the airwaves. Uh, I'm correct there as well. Right. Correct. 476 00:47:27,100 --> 00:47:33,779 All right. So let's start out. Yeah. That's why we're here, fellas. That's why we're. 477 00:47:33,780 --> 00:47:39,819 Here. Uh, so let's start out talking a little bit about the SEC, because as I was doing some 478 00:47:39,820 --> 00:47:45,499 research, getting ready for this, there's one thing that kind of stood out to me. Um, now, Tony, I'm 479 00:47:45,499 --> 00:47:50,739 sorry to say this, but I'm just speaking from a historical perspective here. Florida has not been 480 00:47:50,739 --> 00:47:56,299 up in the in the top echelon of the SEC for the last couple of years. And, uh, they were picked to 481 00:47:56,340 --> 00:48:02,419 finish ninth by the media while the Alabama Crimson Tide were only picked to finish sixth by 482 00:48:02,419 --> 00:48:09,178 the media. I would have to go back probably ten years to find more than just a one off year where 483 00:48:09,219 --> 00:48:15,459 Alabama was picked as low as sixth in their own conference. And, uh, Tony, I'm also sure that you're 484 00:48:15,459 --> 00:48:19,860 probably not happy to hear that the media thinks the Gators are going to finish ninth in the 485 00:48:19,860 --> 00:48:26,339 conference. So first and foremost, today I want to hear a little bit of SEC talk from you guys. I 486 00:48:26,340 --> 00:48:31,950 know you're probably a little bit of SEC homers and that's okay. Uh, so Tony we'll start with you. 487 00:48:31,989 --> 00:48:38,229 How do you feel about your Florida Gators this year? Oh, I love my Florida Gators. They're going to 488 00:48:38,230 --> 00:48:44,229 do a lot better this year. And and just to back up a little bit on that whole Alabama thing. They 489 00:48:44,230 --> 00:48:50,349 have had an excellent head coach. And he just recently stepped down. That's why they were up so 490 00:48:50,350 --> 00:48:56,070 high for the last few years. But he's gone now. Yep. He sure is. They got that that dude from that ugly 491 00:48:56,070 --> 00:49:02,549 school up north of us. Uh, Washington, uh, purple and gold. Just nothing fun about it at all. And, uh, they 492 00:49:02,550 --> 00:49:07,349 took his. They took the coach from Washington, which was okay with me because he beat the Oregon 493 00:49:07,350 --> 00:49:12,909 Ducks. Uh, two of his last games. And his last game at Washington was the national championship. Lost 494 00:49:12,909 --> 00:49:19,549 to Michigan. Um, and right after that, Oregon and Washington joined the Big ten. And Caleb DeBoer 495 00:49:19,589 --> 00:49:26,428 jet set it off to Alabama. Um, so you think Billy Napier's got this team, uh, shaped up a little bit, 496 00:49:26,429 --> 00:49:32,869 and they're going to finish better than ninth this year. Tony. Actually Billy Napier, he went up 497 00:49:32,870 --> 00:49:39,629 to James Madison. Oh that's right, that's right. I'm sorry. He. He got the boot last year. Um, 498 00:49:40,510 --> 00:49:45,069 but John Summerall, John Summerall, he's going to he's going to take the team you like. Your new 499 00:49:45,069 --> 00:49:51,908 coach is what you're saying? Yes, sir. Okay. All right, well, Kevin, we'll turn the focus to you now, 500 00:49:51,909 --> 00:49:58,109 first and foremost, how do you feel about the media picking your Crimson Tide sixth in the SEC 501 00:49:58,149 --> 00:50:04,589 this year? And considering, like Tony said, with the whole coaching 502 00:50:04,590 --> 00:50:10,669 debacle, I would have to agree with them, unfortunately. I mean, I am a diehard Alabama fan, 503 00:50:10,669 --> 00:50:17,549 but the performance over the last few years since he's been there is kind of heartbreaking. We 504 00:50:17,550 --> 00:50:22,629 can only hope at the beginning of every season that, you know, maybe they on the off season they 505 00:50:22,629 --> 00:50:28,679 improved and maybe their recruiting class was a little bit better this year, Maybe some good 506 00:50:28,720 --> 00:50:35,639 coaching decisions out on that, but six is probably, I guess six still in the top 507 00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:41,638 ten. So and do you feel like do you feel like there's a world where they could go out there and 508 00:50:41,639 --> 00:50:46,360 blow that prediction out of the water and finish in maybe the top 2 or 3 in the SEC? 509 00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:55,559 I would, I would hope so. So all I can say is I'm going to I'm going to be watching very 510 00:50:55,560 --> 00:51:01,639 closely. And what are your Saturdays look like, Kevin, I, I asked Tony that, uh, are you home every 511 00:51:01,639 --> 00:51:08,159 Saturday or are you trying to get home every Saturday during college football season? Uh, no. 512 00:51:08,160 --> 00:51:14,879 Unfortunately, I play a different game. I try for the road dog every year, so 513 00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:22,040 Saturdays is off limits as far as being home. Um, usually 514 00:51:22,279 --> 00:51:29,079 I definitely have the tide radio going. I don't miss a tie game. But, you know, I scan 515 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:35,599 the sporting channels on the, you know, sporting podcast with the, the updates and all that. And 516 00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:41,199 then when I stopped for the evening, you know, on my phone has got 3 or 4 different websites up 517 00:51:41,199 --> 00:51:46,680 where I can see the games that are going on and how the stories are going. Okay, live updates and 518 00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:52,799 all that. For some drivers. There's a game on in the truck stop. I'll I'll catch the I'll catch the 519 00:51:52,800 --> 00:51:59,719 games in the truck stop on the. That's probably fun because you find yourself sitting in there 520 00:51:59,720 --> 00:52:06,359 with the, with, uh, fans of teams from all over the place, I'm sure. Oh, yeah. Yeah, every every 521 00:52:06,360 --> 00:52:11,679 Saturday with different, different atmosphere. That's cool, that's cool. Now, for drivers that are 522 00:52:11,679 --> 00:52:15,479 out there that are going to be running on Saturdays this year and are also big college 523 00:52:15,480 --> 00:52:22,319 football fans. Uh, Kevin, fill me in on on your, uh, entertainment there, are you XM radio, 524 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:28,198 XM Sirius guy? Are you just doing terrestrial radio? Are you mostly focused on podcasts? How do 525 00:52:28,199 --> 00:52:34,799 you stay up with the game when it's actually going on and you're out on the road on. 526 00:52:35,560 --> 00:52:41,079 On most of your most of your streaming platforms? I don't have I don't have a subscription to 527 00:52:41,080 --> 00:52:48,080 Serious Stuff. I do feel your streaming platform, Spotify, iHeart or Pandora 528 00:52:48,080 --> 00:52:55,079 or whatever, you know, whatever, wherever I find the games and then I, like I said, I focus in 529 00:52:55,080 --> 00:53:01,840 on the Alabama radio station that comes right out of Tuscaloosa because they always they always 530 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:07,719 stream their game live. Yep, yep, that's the way to do it. Isn't that a junior college? I'm sorry. 531 00:53:07,759 --> 00:53:12,719 Marcus didn't mean to cut you off, but isn't that a junior college in Tuscaloosa? Shots fired. 532 00:53:16,360 --> 00:53:23,249 Oh, I get no. I get no breaks with this guy. I had. I 533 00:53:23,249 --> 00:53:28,689 had to educate him earlier this week that that there was more than one college in Alabama. Yep. 534 00:53:28,689 --> 00:53:34,330 There sure is. Uh, a couple of them actually couple ones that have won national titles. Tony, I'm 535 00:53:34,330 --> 00:53:41,330 surprised you didn't know that being an SEC guy. Who would have known that? Auburn's 536 00:53:41,330 --> 00:53:45,809 in Alabama, though? I mean, that's not something I didn't know that for a long time. I'm not gonna 537 00:53:45,810 --> 00:53:52,809 lie. I was probably in college before I figured that out. Uh, Auburn is in LA. And, you 538 00:53:52,809 --> 00:53:59,689 know, when you say LA, people here think Los Angeles or or Louisiana, but it's actually 539 00:53:59,690 --> 00:54:06,449 lower Alabama, which doesn't count. Anyway. I get you. You don't claim the Gulf Shore down there, do 540 00:54:06,449 --> 00:54:13,249 you know? Yeah. I've been down to Gulf Shore, Alabama. It really is. It feels 541 00:54:13,250 --> 00:54:18,489 like Florida. I'm going to be honest with you. It's very nice down there. Um, but feels a lot more like 542 00:54:18,490 --> 00:54:24,449 Florida than Alabama. Um, great stuff there. Guys. Well, I want to ask you, give you guys a chance to 543 00:54:24,490 --> 00:54:31,369 kind of set each other up here. Um, Tony, how do you feel about Alabama's chances in the 544 00:54:31,370 --> 00:54:38,129 SEC this year? Well, I'm going to start out. Alabama has spent a lot of money in the Nil 545 00:54:38,129 --> 00:54:45,009 program. Way more than, uh, Florida. So it's not fair. Of course, Oregon has spent a lot of 546 00:54:45,010 --> 00:54:51,889 money in the nil. Um, but we won't take them this year. You're going to take them? And then when 547 00:54:51,889 --> 00:54:56,289 does, uh, Florida and Alabama play? Do you guys have the date on that? Mark? Are you getting together 548 00:54:56,289 --> 00:55:03,209 for that one? Oh, hey. Uh, only the only conference 549 00:55:03,249 --> 00:55:09,489 matchup in between Alabama and Florida is, uh, Florida State. Are. Alabama. 550 00:55:10,169 --> 00:55:15,369 Okay. All right, well, that's a bummer. You gotta. Have. A bowl game. Okay. That's fine. It'll have to 551 00:55:15,370 --> 00:55:22,139 be a bowl game. Or an SEC championship if we're, uh, if we're pipe dreaming, right? Heck. Heck, yeah. 552 00:55:22,179 --> 00:55:27,939 Heck, yeah. It'd be a really big grave for Florida, bro. Yeah. 553 00:55:31,939 --> 00:55:37,139 Uh. All right, well, Tony told us what he thought about Alabama. Uh, let's let's talk to Kevin about 554 00:55:37,139 --> 00:55:41,340 what you think about Florida's chances in the SEC this year. Something tells me you're going to be a 555 00:55:41,340 --> 00:55:47,139 bit more heavy handed. Well, my prediction is when you. When you mentioned the 556 00:55:47,979 --> 00:55:54,539 schedule of Florida and Alabama and Oregon, I'm predicting probably 557 00:55:54,580 --> 00:56:01,339 8 in 8 and four. So they've been pretty decent. But I don't think they're going to 558 00:56:01,580 --> 00:56:07,499 they're gonna they're going to cut shy of the top 12. Okay. All right. Well I mean Tony that's pretty 559 00:56:07,499 --> 00:56:12,779 high praise coming from Kevin eight and four. And you were picked to finish ninth in the SEC. Uh, 560 00:56:12,779 --> 00:56:17,619 it's going to be way better than ninth if you finish eight and four this year. I will be so 561 00:56:17,620 --> 00:56:23,539 happy with it. And for it's gonna say I bet you would be. I bet you would be all right. Oh, we're 562 00:56:23,540 --> 00:56:30,339 not even in the top 25 right now. So eight and four would be great. Sure, sure. Well, uh, fellas, you 563 00:56:30,340 --> 00:56:35,820 know, and, uh, everybody who listens to this podcast knows at this point in time, I am a I am an alumni 564 00:56:35,820 --> 00:56:41,099 of the Oregon Ducks. That's why they got mentioned when Tony was talking about the Nil spending. And 565 00:56:41,100 --> 00:56:48,019 yes, we do spend them bucks. Uh, Uncle Phil Knight, the owner of Nike, tends to, uh, shore up our 566 00:56:48,020 --> 00:56:53,579 coffers quite frequently. And, uh, there was a time when I was concerned about talking about that, uh, 567 00:56:53,579 --> 00:56:58,819 back before nil was a thing. And, boy, it feels good to not be concerned about it anymore, because 568 00:56:58,819 --> 00:57:04,898 you're right. Everything we have here in Eugene, from a football standpoint, is brand new and shiny. 569 00:57:04,899 --> 00:57:10,259 And, uh, it's looking like we might make one heck of a run this year. Picked number two in the AP 570 00:57:10,259 --> 00:57:15,389 poll. The Oregon Ducks were. And, uh, that is a historic day for us fellas. We've never been 571 00:57:15,389 --> 00:57:22,110 picked that high in the preseason AP poll. Um, so you know how I feel about the ducks, 572 00:57:22,110 --> 00:57:28,469 and, uh, you guys will give me, uh, I'm sure a few jabs here along the way. But the big question in 573 00:57:28,469 --> 00:57:34,629 college football right now that set the whole college football world aflame. Last week was a 574 00:57:34,629 --> 00:57:41,389 debate that some people got into about which conference is better. Is it the SEC or the 575 00:57:41,389 --> 00:57:47,469 Big Ten? Because those two are on top of college football right now. Now, from a conference 576 00:57:47,470 --> 00:57:53,349 standpoint, looking at the SEC. You've got teams like Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma leading the 577 00:57:53,350 --> 00:57:59,950 charge. Uh, all of them picked to make the play off later this year from the Big Ten. Ohio State 578 00:57:59,950 --> 00:58:06,389 coming in number one in the preseason poll. Oregon two. Defending national champion Indiana comes in 579 00:58:06,389 --> 00:58:13,070 at sixth, which I think is a bit disrespectful. Um, but there's nine SEC teams ranked in the top 580 00:58:13,110 --> 00:58:19,789 25 preseason poll. There's eight Big Ten teams from a Big Ten guy to a couple of 581 00:58:19,830 --> 00:58:26,830 SEC guys. Tony, which one of these conferences do you think owns college football? Without a 582 00:58:26,870 --> 00:58:33,389 doubt. Without a doubt. SEC. I mean, Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma. 583 00:58:34,349 --> 00:58:41,229 They're going to rock it this year. Kevin your thoughts? I know I'm with Tony 584 00:58:41,230 --> 00:58:47,789 on that to be the SEC, but I must say that the the changes that the Big Ten has done, 585 00:58:47,829 --> 00:58:54,550 especially with the fall of the Pac 12. I said the Big Ten is definitely, 586 00:58:54,589 --> 00:59:00,949 definitely becoming a heck of a competitor. I mean, the last playoff season, last year, I mean, look at 587 00:59:00,949 --> 00:59:06,909 the teams that made it into the playoffs and went a lot closer when I thought they were going to. I 588 00:59:06,909 --> 00:59:13,238 was I was surprised. Yeah. You know, Indiana is a basketball school in everybody's eyes. And we 589 00:59:13,239 --> 00:59:20,039 don't have to. We don't have to rewind very far to see Indiana be perennially the worst 590 00:59:20,239 --> 00:59:25,839 major college program in football, and all of a sudden they get a cigarette as a head coach and 591 00:59:25,839 --> 00:59:30,878 they turn the whole bus around and they're hoist. And hardware is pretty amazing to me that that 592 00:59:30,879 --> 00:59:36,840 can happen that quick in this nil era, fellas. And I'll be honest with you, I didn't expect either 593 00:59:36,840 --> 00:59:42,079 one of you guys to tell me that the Big Ten owns college football because your SEC homers, and 594 00:59:42,080 --> 00:59:48,958 that's how it should be. I will, uh, I will rebuttal your, uh, your, I guess 595 00:59:48,959 --> 00:59:53,320 your picks there for the best conference and saying over the last three years, I don't know 596 00:59:53,320 --> 00:59:58,999 that there's really a question. Three different national titles, three different teams. Um, and 597 00:59:58,999 --> 01:00:04,999 another team waiting in the wings and my Oregon Ducks. Uh, pun intended. We, uh, we're right there on 598 01:00:05,000 --> 01:00:11,758 the cusp of it, man. Uh, so I don't know. Are we are we saying maybe that the SEC has you know you had 599 01:00:11,759 --> 01:00:18,559 Nick Saban. You won like 14 titles there at Alabama. And and are we maybe giving the 600 01:00:18,560 --> 01:00:24,919 SEC too much love for days past. I mean we are kind of talking about right now 601 01:00:25,039 --> 01:00:29,919 and in the recent future or the recent past, it would look like the Big Ten owns it. Fellas. What 602 01:00:29,919 --> 01:00:36,919 do you think, Tony? So, like you just mentioned, you have Uncle Phil. Well, Indiana has uncle Mark. 603 01:00:37,279 --> 01:00:43,679 Oh. Who's that? So Mark Cuban. Oh, yeah. I forgot about him. Dot com 604 01:00:43,679 --> 01:00:50,319 millionaire. Yeah. Boy, that guy's got a lot of cash to throw around for sports teams, doesn't he? Yes, 605 01:00:50,319 --> 01:00:55,998 he sure does. So it'll catch up. It'll catch. Up. 606 01:00:57,080 --> 01:01:01,919 It ain't going to catch up to us until Uncle Phil dies, though. That's one thing that's cool about it. 607 01:01:02,039 --> 01:01:07,240 Just keep spending money on keeping that guy alive. And we should have money for a long time in 608 01:01:07,240 --> 01:01:14,209 the future. That's how I feel. That's true. That is true. So you really are. You're going to 609 01:01:14,209 --> 01:01:19,250 stick with your SEC. I'm going to call it sec bias a little bit because it hasn't looked very good. I 610 01:01:19,250 --> 01:01:26,089 mean, let me ask you this. As an SEC football fan, Tony. Do you feel comfortable seeing Missouri and 611 01:01:26,089 --> 01:01:32,169 Tennessee in the top 25 out of all the teams that could be in there? You know, you see a team like 612 01:01:32,170 --> 01:01:38,250 Boise State who's kind of been tapped to be the Group of four representative in the playoff this 613 01:01:38,250 --> 01:01:44,970 year outside of the top 25. And you see a team like Missouri who seems to always be in the 614 01:01:44,970 --> 01:01:50,889 preseason top 25 but never wins anything. Uh, you see a team like Tennessee who is just kind of 615 01:01:50,930 --> 01:01:57,728 historically underachieved as of late. Uh, why do you think the SEC is the best conference 616 01:01:57,729 --> 01:02:04,410 and now not not in in the past when Nick Saban was here. But why, Tony, in your opinion is it the 617 01:02:04,410 --> 01:02:11,129 best conference right now. It just it seems like they always dominate. They just the 618 01:02:11,129 --> 01:02:18,009 SEC is a dominant force. And I'll be honest, when when Florida gets kicked out, I still 619 01:02:18,010 --> 01:02:25,009 stay FCC. I still root for the FCC teams. Okay, even now I have to start showing up and showing up 620 01:02:25,050 --> 01:02:30,649 when they really have to find somewhere else to go. Well, right. I mean, that would. Only be in Oregon. 621 01:02:30,730 --> 01:02:35,769 Maybe, maybe as an Oregon fan when Alabama starts getting ahead. There you go. There's plenty. Of. Room 622 01:02:35,809 --> 01:02:41,609 for my band. I might switch. Yeah, plenty of room on the bandwagon. Tony, you can come hang out, man. It's 623 01:02:41,609 --> 01:02:48,449 fun over here. It's loud, but it's really fun, man. Uh, uh, Kevin, I want to talk to you, man. Give me a 624 01:02:48,449 --> 01:02:52,929 little bit of of insight as to why. Because I just gave you a bunch of good reasons that I could 625 01:02:52,930 --> 01:02:59,769 argue the Big Ten. Owens college football right now. Uh, is it this is it. The history, uh, that 626 01:02:59,810 --> 01:03:05,809 Nick Saban and Kirby Smart brought to the SEC, all those championships that those two guys won that 627 01:03:05,809 --> 01:03:10,569 you think is carrying the water. For them being the best conference right now. They're looking at 628 01:03:10,610 --> 01:03:17,049 I'm looking at, you know, the last one of the last, you know, ten years or so. And it's it's like 629 01:03:17,089 --> 01:03:23,530 gotten predominantly SEC. But I mean I have to do, I have to give the Big Ten their flowers, like you 630 01:03:23,530 --> 01:03:30,249 said the last two years or three different teams. I mean, when the SEC and SEC dominate, it's the 631 01:03:30,249 --> 01:03:35,729 same team pretty much every year running those Georgia goes back to back, Alabama goes back to 632 01:03:35,729 --> 01:03:42,689 back. You know. So they they just win. They win title after title. But they said the last three 633 01:03:42,689 --> 01:03:49,449 years it's been three different Big Ten teams and teams that seem like they came out of nowhere. But 634 01:03:49,449 --> 01:03:55,169 like you said Indiana. Where did they come from. Yeah I mean it's crazy. I, I cannot I still cannot 635 01:03:55,169 --> 01:04:00,688 believe it because they came to our house and beat us, uh, here recently, I think the score was 31 636 01:04:00,689 --> 01:04:06,819 to 20 and it felt like they were a good team, but it just didn't feel like we had it that day. And 637 01:04:06,820 --> 01:04:12,738 then we got absolutely blown out of the water by them in the playoff, and it was like, okay, I'll 638 01:04:12,739 --> 01:04:18,139 give it to you. You got a good squad there, Indiana. I, I sort of see it as a little disrespectful 639 01:04:18,139 --> 01:04:23,979 picking them all the way down at six though. I thought I thought Oregon was going to take take 640 01:04:24,020 --> 01:04:28,259 Indiana. I didn't think I was going to go all the way last year. I almost thought Oregon was going 641 01:04:28,259 --> 01:04:34,058 to get it last year. Is Fernando Mendoza not the biggest nerd to ever win a national title? I mean, 642 01:04:34,059 --> 01:04:40,780 come on, say something exciting. I mean, I felt like I was watching paint 643 01:04:40,780 --> 01:04:45,379 dry every time they put the microphone in front. And there, you know, he's got a great family and 644 01:04:45,379 --> 01:04:50,139 they they're showing his family every time. And I'll be honest with you, they looked boring too. I 645 01:04:50,139 --> 01:04:56,339 just nothing was exciting about that team. The uniforms suck. The head coach. That's the best part. 646 01:04:56,340 --> 01:05:02,418 When Kurt came out last year and said, all I do is win football games. Google me. Indiana was exciting 647 01:05:02,419 --> 01:05:08,820 for 3.5 minutes, and then after that they went back to being just stale in my mind, but I 648 01:05:08,859 --> 01:05:14,579 digress. I'll give Indiana a little bit of credit because hey, they won the national title and my 649 01:05:14,579 --> 01:05:19,019 teams never done that. So, uh, you know, and I'm sitting here on the air talking to two guys that 650 01:05:19,020 --> 01:05:24,659 have national titles at their schools and storied histories. I guess maybe the first thing I'd ask 651 01:05:24,659 --> 01:05:29,939 you fellas is, what's it like? What's it like as a college football fan to bring home that hardware 652 01:05:29,939 --> 01:05:36,739 and, uh, and actually be able to be on top of the college football world, uh, for an entire off 653 01:05:36,740 --> 01:05:41,579 season? Tony, I know it's been a while since the Gators have won one, but back when you had Urban 654 01:05:41,579 --> 01:05:47,659 Meyer and the, uh, lawbreaking boys, uh, in-house, you guys were, uh, you were pretty formidable back then, 655 01:05:47,660 --> 01:05:53,219 and you did it. I have to tell you, I gotta give the Florida Gators some credit here. You had a guy 656 01:05:53,219 --> 01:05:57,979 like Aaron Hernandez on the team, and nobody knew a thing about him. Because you paired him with a 657 01:05:57,979 --> 01:06:04,109 guy like Tim Tebow who is just, you know, he's never done anything wrong in his life. So what 658 01:06:04,110 --> 01:06:10,629 does it feel like, Tony, to hoist the hardware? You know, it was great. I didn't know Kevin and the 659 01:06:10,630 --> 01:06:16,869 other guys back then. You know, it's been a while, but boy howdy, it was. It was good. I just, you know, 660 01:06:16,910 --> 01:06:23,789 walked around with your chest puffed up for nice off season. Feels pretty good, huh? Feels free. Feels 661 01:06:23,790 --> 01:06:30,789 like you should get a free pig missile about anywhere you go. Heck, yeah. Kevin, I'll turn it over 662 01:06:30,790 --> 01:06:37,669 to you, man. You've won quite a few of these in your time as a fan of Alabama. So I'll ask you, 663 01:06:37,709 --> 01:06:44,349 does it feel better to win the national title and get to brag for an entire off season? Or does it 664 01:06:44,349 --> 01:06:49,829 feel worse every single year that goes by that you don't win one now? Because you guys kind of 665 01:06:49,870 --> 01:06:55,509 developed a habit of winning a lot of them there for a little while. So talk me through it. Kevin. 666 01:06:56,109 --> 01:07:03,030 Yeah, it was kind of a ego. Ego hit when, uh, when we when we didn't get it. But I mean, Nick 667 01:07:03,030 --> 01:07:09,709 Saban gave it gave it his all his last year there. But we didn't quite get it. And then uh, you know, 668 01:07:09,750 --> 01:07:15,549 they got that guy from Washington. I don't know if he's going to be able to do it for us. So I said, 669 01:07:15,550 --> 01:07:20,309 all we can do is hope. But yeah, I mean, like Tony said, walking around with your chest poked out, 670 01:07:20,350 --> 01:07:25,989 especially in our group of friends. They just didn't want to hear it, you know, like, ah, you guys 671 01:07:25,989 --> 01:07:31,989 get it every year. Just shut up. Let's think about something else. I hear. You. I told you, it's been so 672 01:07:31,990 --> 01:07:38,109 long, I don't even think I never even brought it up. Championship to him because I just felt too 673 01:07:38,109 --> 01:07:45,029 bad. Oh, I'll tell you, man, you can't buy it here, Tony. You can't buy a 674 01:07:45,069 --> 01:07:51,588 bucket, can you? No. No, you can. Not at all. I'll tell you. A team that scared Kevin and I last couple 675 01:07:51,589 --> 01:07:57,640 years is that that, you know, team down there in South Florida? The tropical breeze or whatever. The 676 01:07:57,719 --> 01:08:03,840 little Cuba, tropical breeze. They've been scaring us a little bit. Uh, is that is that the Miami 677 01:08:03,879 --> 01:08:10,159 Hurricanes? Is that who you're talking about? Yeah. Oh, is that their name, though? You're such a such a 678 01:08:10,159 --> 01:08:16,399 such a no name college down there. We forgot. Yeah, well, another college that has had an entire team 679 01:08:16,480 --> 01:08:23,358 of felons on their squad win a national title. I actually have a friend that was personal 680 01:08:23,359 --> 01:08:27,999 friends with Dennis Erickson. You guys will remember that name from the Miami hurricane days 681 01:08:28,000 --> 01:08:34,959 of old, um, back in the 80s. And the stories that I've heard come out of that school back when they 682 01:08:34,959 --> 01:08:41,919 were winning national titles in the 90s and even back in the 80s, are eye popping, to say the 683 01:08:41,919 --> 01:08:46,359 least. And I'll give you guys one, just because I think you guys have been college football fans 684 01:08:46,359 --> 01:08:51,798 long enough to know that this type of stuff used to go on, and probably still does go on to some 685 01:08:51,799 --> 01:08:58,639 extent, But my friend who knows Dennis Erickson, told me a story about a guy 686 01:08:58,680 --> 01:09:05,319 that stole a car. On that, like, late 90s team, I think it was the maybe it was the Jeremy 687 01:09:05,319 --> 01:09:12,119 Shockey team and Ed Reed, but it could have been a little bit before that. A guy stole a car and got 688 01:09:12,120 --> 01:09:18,159 arrested. And they called the coach and said, come down and bail him out. And they came down and 689 01:09:18,160 --> 01:09:24,679 bailed him out. And they dropped the charges on this kid because he was a member of the Miami 690 01:09:24,680 --> 01:09:29,559 football team and he was a starter. I could not get a name out of the guy when he told me this 691 01:09:29,560 --> 01:09:34,719 story. Um, but that's the type of stuff we're dealing with down in Miami. And if you want me to 692 01:09:34,759 --> 01:09:41,159 go on a little rant about Miami, I can, uh, because their coach told us here in Eugene, Oregon, I'm 693 01:09:41,160 --> 01:09:46,839 never going anywhere. I love you. And then the minute that Miami opened up, uh, it was funny 694 01:09:46,839 --> 01:09:53,008 because everybody, all the gum shoes here in Eugene started looking at flight plans. And we 695 01:09:53,049 --> 01:09:59,729 knew when Cristobal was down in Miami and we had just taken a huge loss to Utah the week 696 01:09:59,729 --> 01:10:05,689 before, or maybe two weeks before, and we played Utah in the Pac 12 championship game that week 697 01:10:05,690 --> 01:10:11,249 that he went down there and we got our asses kicked. I mean, it's never been more apparent that 698 01:10:11,249 --> 01:10:16,249 somebody was on the way out. So I'm going to join you guys on this. There hasn't been too much that 699 01:10:16,249 --> 01:10:21,569 we will all agree on in a college football sense, other than Miami can break off and fall into the 700 01:10:21,569 --> 01:10:28,208 ocean as far as I care. We we agree with you. I can tell. Like 701 01:10:29,249 --> 01:10:35,809 like Eve and Tony were saying, you know, Oregon's got a got an uncle So-and-so and an Indian has 702 01:10:35,809 --> 01:10:41,728 got uncle So-and-so. My, I don't know who my uncle is, but they are definitely buying championships. 703 01:10:41,770 --> 01:10:47,529 Yeah, well, I think Miami's Miami's uncle lives down in Cuba or Colombia somewhere. Based on how I 704 01:10:47,529 --> 01:10:52,569 feel about that school. That's that's drug money. That's all I can say. Then when you then when you 705 01:10:52,570 --> 01:10:57,689 talk about school or school of felons, I thought you were going right for FSU because, I mean, we, 706 01:10:57,730 --> 01:11:03,769 the Buccaneers ended up with one of the top selling quarterbacks. Yep, they sure did. They sure 707 01:11:03,810 --> 01:11:09,288 did. I mean, it is kind of a problem. You know, maybe we don't go all the way to felonies with Georgia, 708 01:11:09,289 --> 01:11:14,769 but Georgia has a race car driving problem. And I think that's well known by all college football 709 01:11:14,769 --> 01:11:20,929 fans. Those guys in their triple digit speeding tickets, um, have really played well with Kirby 710 01:11:20,930 --> 01:11:27,490 Smart and his squad over the last, I don't know, maybe 5 to 10 years. Even so, um, it's good to see a 711 01:11:27,490 --> 01:11:33,409 nice clean off season, though. I will say that this year we didn't see a lot of college players, uh, 712 01:11:33,409 --> 01:11:38,450 going down for stupid things when they have free time. And it kind of makes me curious, fellas, do 713 01:11:38,450 --> 01:11:43,850 you think that Nil plays a role in that? Like, these guys aren't just broke college students 714 01:11:43,850 --> 01:11:48,929 anymore. Now they're college students with potentially millions of dollars in sponsorship 715 01:11:48,930 --> 01:11:53,169 deals in their in their pocket. They kind of have to clean up their act a little bit. Don't they, 716 01:11:53,210 --> 01:12:00,169 Tony? Yeah, they really do. And on that same note, it also, 717 01:12:00,210 --> 01:12:05,849 you know, are they making too much money. Do they think they're better than anybody else. So but 718 01:12:05,849 --> 01:12:11,689 right now you're right. They, they seem to be having their their p's and q's on on on track. 719 01:12:11,730 --> 01:12:17,889 Yeah I think so. Well, fellas, we are sort of running out of time here today. But I want to ask 720 01:12:17,890 --> 01:12:23,729 you a couple of big questions because, uh, this is the fun part, right? This is the, uh, around the 721 01:12:23,730 --> 01:12:29,808 water cooler or hanging out at the bar sharing a tall, cool one, or at the cafe drinking a cup of 722 01:12:29,809 --> 01:12:35,169 coffee early in the morning. And this question might get posed, who do you think is going to win 723 01:12:35,169 --> 01:12:41,969 it all this year? If you if you rewind 365 days in the past and I asked you this, 724 01:12:41,970 --> 01:12:48,740 I guarantee nobody on the face of the green earth would have said Indiana. And that's sort of 725 01:12:48,779 --> 01:12:55,659 the the landscape that we live in now. So, Kevin, I'm going to you first, man. It 726 01:12:55,660 --> 01:13:00,660 can be your squad. You can say the Alabama Crimson Tide here, and I won't give you any flak about it. 727 01:13:00,660 --> 01:13:07,659 But who is your pick for the national champion, uh, for this college football season, Kevin. I 728 01:13:07,660 --> 01:13:14,579 am I'm not going to go with Alabama just because I know I know the board of record for the last 729 01:13:14,579 --> 01:13:21,258 two years. So my prediction for Alabama this year is probably going to be ten and 730 01:13:21,259 --> 01:13:27,778 two. But that's a good. Year once they get to the playoffs. And then once they get to the playoffs, 731 01:13:28,259 --> 01:13:32,339 if they make the playoffs, they're going to be just like they did the last two years. They're 732 01:13:32,339 --> 01:13:37,059 going to lose out the first round and it's going to be over okay. There'll be a bowl game for them. 733 01:13:37,060 --> 01:13:42,740 So um, my prediction is you're probably going to be speechless, but I'm going to have to go to 734 01:13:42,740 --> 01:13:47,899 Oregon. My guy. Speechless. What are you talking about? I got a button for that man. 735 01:13:52,979 --> 01:13:57,179 He finally came around. Man, I thought it was going to take another year before you would say 736 01:13:57,180 --> 01:14:03,898 something like that. But here you are, surprising me at every turn. Kevin. The Puddle Jumpers are 737 01:14:03,979 --> 01:14:09,219 going to get it. And what is it about the Puddle Jumpers that you think makes them a national 738 01:14:09,259 --> 01:14:15,899 title contender this year? Just for my own. Just for my own pleasure, Kevin. Just looking at the 739 01:14:15,899 --> 01:14:22,179 top ten of the AP poll right now, because I'm looking at it while we were, while we were 740 01:14:22,180 --> 01:14:28,899 waiting and, uh, of all the teams there, the only one that stood out to me was Oregon, 741 01:14:28,939 --> 01:14:35,459 because I'm not a I'm not a fan of Ohio State. Oh, of course, Georgia is definitely low on my list 742 01:14:35,459 --> 01:14:42,340 only because it's Georgia, Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame. I don't even I don't even know why they're 743 01:14:42,379 --> 01:14:49,229 up so high. And then you got Texas and then of course, got Indiana and then little Cuba. So 744 01:14:49,430 --> 01:14:55,589 it seems like that I just I just don't see none of them being that great. So. Okay. I like. Where 745 01:14:55,589 --> 01:15:01,429 you're stopped in, I see Oregon. I like where your head's at, man. I, I really do. And, um, you know, 746 01:15:01,549 --> 01:15:08,509 Georgia, they're always a juggernaut. No question. Ohio State, same thing. Um, I, I I'll 747 01:15:08,509 --> 01:15:14,909 be honest with you, I don't think that Notre Dame, uh, I never think it's a fair shake for the rest 748 01:15:14,910 --> 01:15:20,149 of college football when Notre Dame is involved because they handpick their schedule, they can 749 01:15:20,149 --> 01:15:24,469 cupcake it all year long if they want to, even though that bit them in the ass a couple of years 750 01:15:24,509 --> 01:15:31,069 ago against Northern Illinois. And the other thing is now it's guaranteed for them if they're in, uh, 751 01:15:31,109 --> 01:15:36,349 if they're at a certain rank, they get into the playoff regardless. And no other school has that. 752 01:15:36,349 --> 01:15:42,548 And to me, that just means that you needed your participation trophy And so you legislated your 753 01:15:42,549 --> 01:15:48,189 participation trophy into the laws of college football. Uh, I don't care if you are Notre Dame 754 01:15:48,189 --> 01:15:53,310 and you play with the power of Christ at your at your back. Uh, you got to play the game just like 755 01:15:53,310 --> 01:15:59,470 everybody else, man. I'm not I'm not okay with it. So, uh, I but I love where your head's at, Kevin. And 756 01:15:59,470 --> 01:16:04,509 I feel like maybe I should get a get over to Tony here so that he can make me feel good, too. But I 757 01:16:04,509 --> 01:16:11,149 don't know if he's going to. Uh, Tony, what's your prediction? Uh, for the national champion. This. Year? 758 01:16:12,470 --> 01:16:19,229 Your national champion, Okeechobee or whatever it is. Okeechobee. Well, I. 759 01:16:19,230 --> 01:16:26,149 Really. Okeechobee. Okeechobee, Oregon. Is going to be or whatever. Okeechobee. Oregon. Is going to be, 760 01:16:26,190 --> 01:16:32,229 I believe, in the championship game, but I think it's going to be against Oklahoma. Okay. And who 761 01:16:32,229 --> 01:16:38,990 comes out on. Top. And. When when the the final whistle blows, it's going to be 762 01:16:38,999 --> 01:16:45,879 Oklahoma. I broke my heart, Tony. You broke 763 01:16:45,879 --> 01:16:51,439 my heart. I thought we were gonna go two for two, but. Hey, man. Oklahoma! Brant Venables, there's. It's 764 01:16:51,439 --> 01:16:58,439 a good squad out there in Norman. I can't argue with that. No more. You're out for Tony. Yeah. That's 765 01:16:58,439 --> 01:17:03,199 right. Yeah. Tony, it's been your last appearance on the show. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much 766 01:17:03,200 --> 01:17:09,798 for your time. No, I'm playing with you. I'm playing with you. But, uh. I love it, fellas. And I think 767 01:17:09,799 --> 01:17:15,039 that's that's an educated football fan right there. Because Oklahoma is, uh, is a top echelon 768 01:17:15,040 --> 01:17:20,439 team, and, uh, they can jump out and scare you at any time. I you think they're they're gonna run 769 01:17:20,439 --> 01:17:23,720 roughshod over the conference, or do you think that they're going to squeak their way in and 770 01:17:23,720 --> 01:17:28,839 it's going to be a battle all the way through the finish? No, they're going to they're going to run. 771 01:17:28,839 --> 01:17:35,119 They're going to roll over. Or would I say, um, like the red 772 01:17:35,160 --> 01:17:41,200 tide? Shots fired once again. Fellas, uh. 773 01:17:41,959 --> 01:17:48,599 What's the what are we talking politics now? I mean, I don't know what a red tide is. I got a 774 01:17:48,599 --> 01:17:54,319 couple. More. Against the phantom color. I got a couple more. Kind of, uh, what I would call rapid 775 01:17:54,319 --> 01:18:00,560 fire questions for you guys. Um, and this is just kind of college football in general here. Oh, did 776 01:18:00,560 --> 01:18:05,559 you want to hear my national title pick? University of Oregon ducks. Go ahead and put it in 777 01:18:05,560 --> 01:18:11,599 ink. Dan Lanning, coach of the year Dante Moore. Heisman. And just a plethora of other awards. But 778 01:18:11,600 --> 01:18:16,879 I'm a bit of a homer. I sit less than five feet away from a wall that is absolutely covered in 779 01:18:16,879 --> 01:18:22,679 Oregon memorabilia. So let's remember. Let's consider the source, as they say here, fellas. But, 780 01:18:22,680 --> 01:18:29,399 uh, rapid fire here for you guys. Um, best stadium that you've ever been to in college 781 01:18:29,399 --> 01:18:34,799 football or or stadium that you want to visit if you haven't been there yet? Tony, we'll start with 782 01:18:34,799 --> 01:18:40,329 you. What What stadium makes the list? Where do you really enjoy going? Or where do you want to go see 783 01:18:40,329 --> 01:18:47,289 a game? The swamp? Well. Matter of fact. On November. On November. 784 01:18:47,609 --> 01:18:53,609 On November 7th, I'll be there, um, watching the Oklahoma Gators game. That'll be a good game. And 785 01:18:53,609 --> 01:19:00,529 is that your first time at the swamp, Tony? Nope. Me and my son and my wife go to one game a 786 01:19:00,529 --> 01:19:07,410 year. Okay. We've been doing that since it's ten, ten years. We've been. Doing it for quite some. 787 01:19:07,410 --> 01:19:12,609 Time. That's awesome. Uh, I love a good college football tradition there, and I'm not gonna take 788 01:19:12,609 --> 01:19:17,209 any points away from you for rooting for your squad there and saying it doesn't get better than 789 01:19:17,209 --> 01:19:22,209 it is where I'm at. And, uh, that's that's what college football is all about. Kevin, same question 790 01:19:22,209 --> 01:19:27,729 for you, uh, stadium you most want to visit or favorite stadium that you've ever been to? 791 01:19:29,250 --> 01:19:35,889 I haven't been to any, but, uh, I have in my travels have driven 792 01:19:35,930 --> 01:19:42,609 right past the great campus of and the stadium of Tuscaloosa, Bryant-Denny Stadium. 793 01:19:42,649 --> 01:19:49,649 Yep. I would love to see a game there. One time I want my wife and I really wanted to go 794 01:19:49,689 --> 01:19:55,049 there when Saban was coaching, but we just never got the opportunity to do it. But we do want to do 795 01:19:55,049 --> 01:20:00,568 it one time. Just to say that we did. Yeah, you have to. And and that was one of those iconic college 796 01:20:00,569 --> 01:20:07,450 football stadiums. A lot like The Swamp. It's so big. Um, you know, us, us little guys over 797 01:20:07,450 --> 01:20:13,089 here in, in, uh, cities like Eugene, Oregon, can't really comprehend the size of a Bryant-Denny 798 01:20:13,129 --> 01:20:20,089 Stadium or of the swamp. Uh, because Autzen Stadium out here in Eugene, it only seats 54,000 people. 799 01:20:20,089 --> 01:20:26,329 Now, every time we break the attendance record, somehow it's up over 60,000. So I'm guessing that 800 01:20:26,329 --> 01:20:32,779 they're just shoving people in bathroom stalls and counting them as at the game. Um, But I would 801 01:20:32,779 --> 01:20:37,739 love to go to one of those gigantic stadiums at some point in time. You guys know I'm a season 802 01:20:37,740 --> 01:20:44,059 ticket holder for the ducks. I'm in Autzen Stadium 7 to 8 times a year screaming my voice out. I 803 01:20:44,060 --> 01:20:48,379 think it's the best environment in college football, but why wouldn't I? I mean, I pay a lot of 804 01:20:48,379 --> 01:20:53,259 money for the privilege to go there each year, so you can bet I'm going to homer out here too, 805 01:20:53,299 --> 01:21:00,139 fellas. Um, this one. Would be. A little bit of a little bit of a side, a little bit of a sidebar. 806 01:21:00,660 --> 01:21:07,418 Every time I drive travel on I-75, I, I want to call my, uh, my, 807 01:21:07,419 --> 01:21:13,259 uh, Florida government and have them put a bypass around, uh, a certain part of, uh, North Florida 808 01:21:13,299 --> 01:21:17,739 there, because I don't think we should have to drive through that. You don't think you should 809 01:21:17,740 --> 01:21:24,740 have to drive through Gainesville, is what you're saying? I think I bring it up every time I'm on 810 01:21:24,740 --> 01:21:31,219 the phone with Tony. I'm like, damn it, I gotta go through this part of the swamp. I Gotcha. All right, 811 01:21:31,220 --> 01:21:37,700 one more for you here, fellas. Most annoying fan base. Tony, I'll start with you. And there's a real 812 01:21:37,740 --> 01:21:43,979 opportunity here to, uh, to to swing on some people. And I'm going to give you full carte blanche to 813 01:21:44,019 --> 01:21:49,299 swing on whoever you want. Who is the most annoying fan base in college football? Tony. 814 01:21:50,620 --> 01:21:55,859 Florida state. Florida state. You had a chance to swing at your buddy Kevin there, but you didn't 815 01:21:55,900 --> 01:22:00,259 take it. That's a good friend right there. Buddy was going to go there. I thought he would go there 816 01:22:00,259 --> 01:22:03,459 because I'm not going. I'm not going to put a question because of me. I'm not going to be as 817 01:22:03,459 --> 01:22:10,219 nice. And it. Is. And this goes back. This goes back 818 01:22:10,220 --> 01:22:16,699 before I even knew Tony, because I grew up in a family that was was diehard Gator fans. And let me 819 01:22:16,700 --> 01:22:23,499 tell you, I hated Thanksgiving. Oh, I bet, I bet. And that was my wife and I were always 820 01:22:23,500 --> 01:22:28,979 Florida State fans on that day. That was the only day we ever rooted for Florida State. And I bet 821 01:22:29,019 --> 01:22:34,540 that that was probably back in the day when Florida was either winning BCS titles or at least 822 01:22:34,540 --> 01:22:39,299 contending for them, and Alabama didn't have it quite as good back in that day, right? 823 01:22:41,140 --> 01:22:47,899 Yep, yep. Now, Tony. Uh oh. Sorry. Go ahead. Kevin. I said yeah. It's just that 824 01:22:47,899 --> 01:22:53,619 just, uh, we just couldn't we couldn't stand there because our family were horrible Gator fans. They 825 01:22:53,620 --> 01:23:00,619 were just in your face. And, I mean, I love Tebow as a player, but they kind of worn out 826 01:23:00,660 --> 01:23:06,899 on us. I hear you now, Tony. I imagine you saying Florida State there is probably just because of 827 01:23:06,900 --> 01:23:13,339 the rivalries that you've grown up and around the team playing Florida State. Um, but, uh, how does it 828 01:23:13,339 --> 01:23:17,980 make you feel when you hear your buddy Kevin there say that, uh, this goes beyond Tony. He's had 829 01:23:17,980 --> 01:23:24,579 a lot of gators that he's had to deal with in his life. And it's funny because Kevin 830 01:23:24,580 --> 01:23:31,309 lives the closest to Gainesville. So you would think that he would be a Gators fan? Well, you 831 01:23:31,310 --> 01:23:35,950 would think, but he doesn't seem to like Gainesville much at all from based on what he's 832 01:23:35,950 --> 01:23:42,508 saying. So too many Thanksgivings having too many people do the Gator Chomp at dinner could do that 833 01:23:42,509 --> 01:23:49,230 to anybody. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that was true. Don't don't show up to Thanksgiving dinner 834 01:23:49,230 --> 01:23:54,429 with gator bites. They didn't appreciate. It. I bet they didn't, man. I bet they didn't. Well, I will 835 01:23:54,430 --> 01:23:59,269 tell you guys right now, uh, those are both great picks for the most annoying fan bases in college 836 01:23:59,269 --> 01:24:04,749 football. I'm going to go ahead and stack the Washington Huskies up there with you. And I will 837 01:24:04,749 --> 01:24:11,509 also give an honorable mention to the USC Trojan fans because, uh, I'll tell you, I lived through I 838 01:24:11,509 --> 01:24:17,829 was in college when Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart were winning national championships, and Reggie 839 01:24:17,830 --> 01:24:24,469 Bush put together his Heisman highlight tape at Autzen Stadium. Uh, in the year, I think 2001, if I'm 840 01:24:24,470 --> 01:24:29,949 not mistaken, maybe 2002. Now they took it away from him eventually, which just made me feel so 841 01:24:29,950 --> 01:24:36,909 good. Uh, deep down. But, um. Yeah, USC, Washington, Florida. Sorry, Tony 842 01:24:36,910 --> 01:24:43,469 and FSU all get our nominations for most annoying fan bases. Fellas, this has been a lot of fun today. 843 01:24:43,549 --> 01:24:48,389 Uh, I really appreciate you coming on here to talk a little mess. I definitely think we're going to 844 01:24:48,389 --> 01:24:54,149 revisit this sometime in the middle of the season, or maybe towards the end. And, uh, one thing I want 845 01:24:54,189 --> 01:24:59,709 to assign some homework to you guys for is to find us a couple more guys out out here that want 846 01:24:59,710 --> 01:25:05,508 to come in and join this, because we can have a lot of fun in here. And the more fans that we add 847 01:25:05,549 --> 01:25:11,309 of different teams, the more fun this one gets. So, uh, I can't thank you guys enough for your time. 848 01:25:11,309 --> 01:25:16,390 And, uh, always enjoy the text conversations that we have. You know, Tony and Kevin and I keep in 849 01:25:16,390 --> 01:25:22,149 pretty good touch. And, uh, it's never a dull moment in that text chat, fellas. And I really appreciate 850 01:25:22,149 --> 01:25:27,519 you for that. Um, we'll get to final thoughts here from you before we let you go. Kevin, I'll go to 851 01:25:27,519 --> 01:25:33,639 you first for your final thoughts. Roll tide buddy. Thanks for being here today. Oh. 852 01:25:34,560 --> 01:25:41,359 I can't wait to. Can't wait for the kick off in two weeks. Um, I want to give 853 01:25:41,399 --> 01:25:48,399 a quick shout out. I know that, uh, you said in the, uh, and when you were introducing it to us 854 01:25:48,400 --> 01:25:55,359 about, uh, you were going to have the, the one and only, uh, Nebraska full time player, uh, 855 01:25:55,359 --> 01:26:01,959 Aaron Penland. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. National champions. You couldn't mix them. Too bad you couldn't mix 856 01:26:01,959 --> 01:26:07,919 him in with us today. But yeah, give a shout out there. Aaron is a great guy to work for. I just 857 01:26:07,919 --> 01:26:14,479 want to give him his flowers on this, uh, college football episode. Well said man. Well said. 858 01:26:14,640 --> 01:26:19,959 Looking forward to it. Me too, buddy. Me too. Thank you so much, Kevin Barrett. Always appreciate the 859 01:26:19,960 --> 01:26:24,999 time. Uh, Tony Miller. Final thoughts from you, my friend, before we let you go today. Thanks for 860 01:26:24,999 --> 01:26:31,839 being here. Final thoughts. Um, first go Gators. Uh, but speaking of college, 861 01:26:31,879 --> 01:26:35,639 also just want everybody to remember, you know, schools back in session. Watch out for those 862 01:26:35,640 --> 01:26:41,279 school busses. Hey, great reminder there this time of year. Got to keep your head on a swivel. You 863 01:26:41,279 --> 01:26:45,758 never know. Kids are some of the most unpredictable ones out there on the road. And 864 01:26:45,759 --> 01:26:50,279 they're going to be driving to and from school. They're going to be on the busses out and about. 865 01:26:50,279 --> 01:26:57,039 Great advice there, Tony. Really appreciate your time today, guys. And uh, one last thing. I'll say go 866 01:26:57,080 --> 01:27:03,640 ducks. That's all I've got for you. We'll see you guys next time. All right. Thank you. Marsha, sir. 867 01:27:03,879 --> 01:27:04,520 Thank you. 868 01:27:12,759 --> 01:27:17,959 Big thanks to Tony and Kevin for joining us here again on the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. I always 869 01:27:17,959 --> 01:27:24,769 love having those guys in, because that is how the conversations go with them all the time. It's 870 01:27:24,769 --> 01:27:31,529 like a couple of pleasantries, hey, how's it going? And it's no more than 30s before it's shots 871 01:27:31,529 --> 01:27:38,009 fired. Uh, and it's always so much fun. And that's what I love about football season, you know? Um, my 872 01:27:38,009 --> 01:27:42,169 fantasy football league. And I'm not going to go into this too deep. Don't worry. I know when people 873 01:27:42,170 --> 01:27:47,569 start saying my fantasy football league, everybody starts to tune out because everybody has one and 874 01:27:47,569 --> 01:27:52,770 a lot of them are the same. Uh, but just to put a point on it, my fantasy football team or league 875 01:27:52,770 --> 01:27:58,289 excuse me, is called the Player Haters Ball. Now, for those of you that are fans of the old, uh, 876 01:27:58,289 --> 01:28:04,929 Chappelle's Show on Comedy Central, you might recognize that bit. Um, but the whole idea 20 some 877 01:28:04,930 --> 01:28:10,209 years ago when we started our fantasy football league was this league is not going to be nearly 878 01:28:10,210 --> 01:28:16,489 as fun if we don't make it a point to talk trash to one another. And what better example of that in 879 01:28:16,490 --> 01:28:22,009 media is there than the player haters ball, the skit from the Chappelle's Show. Back in the early 880 01:28:22,009 --> 01:28:28,209 2000. And we run with that. And we've had a lot of change out in our fantasy football league over 881 01:28:28,209 --> 01:28:33,169 the years. A lot of guys coming and going and, uh, you get you got to get initiated. You have to know 882 01:28:33,169 --> 01:28:37,889 if you end up in my fantasy football league, the first thing that's going to happen is somebody's 883 01:28:37,890 --> 01:28:42,169 going to tell us something about you, and, uh, we're going to run with that, and we're going to drive 884 01:28:42,169 --> 01:28:47,490 it home, because that's what it's about. It's all about player hating out here. And uh, being a 885 01:28:47,490 --> 01:28:53,209 college football fan is a lot of that. Heck, being a pro football fan is a lot of that. And it's 886 01:28:53,209 --> 01:28:59,609 always fun to talk football on this podcast. So I want to thank once again, uh, Aaron Penland and uh, 887 01:28:59,609 --> 01:29:06,009 Dave Penland, the third or D3, as he is known around Cypress, uh, for such an awesome segment with 888 01:29:06,009 --> 01:29:11,129 so much insight into the way that they do their jobs and what the lifeblood of this company 889 01:29:11,129 --> 01:29:17,579 really means to them, and how they try to uphold the standard that their dad or granddad set for 890 01:29:17,579 --> 01:29:23,259 them when he founded this company. And of course, Tony and Kevin, I got to give them their big ups 891 01:29:23,259 --> 01:29:28,059 as well. Uh, two guys that if you only heard them talk to one another every now and then, you'd 892 01:29:28,100 --> 01:29:31,899 think that they hated each other. But the fact of the matter is, they are very close. They've got 893 01:29:31,899 --> 01:29:36,419 each other's backs, and they are two very knowledgeable drivers. So let me tell you 894 01:29:36,419 --> 01:29:40,659 something. If you're listening to this podcast and you haven't had the pleasure of running into Tony 895 01:29:40,660 --> 01:29:45,739 Miller or Kevin Barrittout there on the road and, uh, been able to glean a little bit of, of 896 01:29:45,740 --> 01:29:51,259 knowledge from them about this gig that you guys all do, man, look for him out there, because not 897 01:29:51,259 --> 01:29:56,499 only are they two of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, but they're also ready to help you and ready 898 01:29:56,500 --> 01:30:02,100 to pass down the knowledge. Uh, of course, both guys, uh, a lot of experience driving, training, all of 899 01:30:02,140 --> 01:30:07,258 that. So, uh, today's episode was a special one because we got to look behind the curtain a 900 01:30:07,259 --> 01:30:13,259 little bit at the philosophy of what makes Cypress's heart beat. And we got to talk a little 901 01:30:13,259 --> 01:30:18,579 mess to each other in the process, and that's always fun. So thank you for joining me today 902 01:30:18,579 --> 01:30:25,139 again. Whether you clicked download at Spotify or Apple or Google, maybe you're an iHeart listener. 903 01:30:25,140 --> 01:30:29,739 Maybe you're out there on Stitcher with like the last 5 or 6 people that are on Stitcher. We 904 01:30:29,740 --> 01:30:34,179 appreciate it. It doesn't matter where you come from, we'd really like you to go check out the 905 01:30:34,179 --> 01:30:41,139 website podcast.cypresstruck.com, but if you're a Spotify guy, you keep listening on Spotify. We're totally 906 01:30:41,140 --> 01:30:47,379 good with that. And uh, also, uh, we just want to say tell a friend we had a we had two friends in here 907 01:30:47,379 --> 01:30:51,739 today talking. Those guys are out there, word of mouth in it all the time for us. And we get a lot 908 01:30:51,740 --> 01:30:56,938 of other people listening to this show because they're out there supporting it. Heck, I wouldn't 909 01:30:56,939 --> 01:31:02,339 be surprised to see Kevin draw up legislation and submit it to the House of Representatives that 910 01:31:02,339 --> 01:31:09,259 says these are no longer called hot dogs. These are called pig missiles. Uh, Kevin has taken that 911 01:31:09,259 --> 01:31:16,029 name and run with it, and he's very proud to tell everybody about the new way that we refer to the 912 01:31:16,069 --> 01:31:21,029 humble hot dog here in these great United States. Uh, that was the big change that happened for the 913 01:31:21,029 --> 01:31:26,869 250th birthday of this great nation. We changed how we refer to hot dogs. They are now pig 914 01:31:26,870 --> 01:31:32,069 missiles. Kevin's out there spreading like wildfire. And Tony is to appreciate everybody that 915 01:31:32,069 --> 01:31:36,548 came on the show today. And, uh, definitely appreciate everybody that listened to this 916 01:31:36,549 --> 01:31:42,390 episode. Thank you so much for being here today. Be safe out there on the road, and we will be back 917 01:31:42,390 --> 01:31:49,149 with another hour of content for you next week, 5 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Keep the shiny 918 01:31:49,190 --> 01:31:51,350 side up, Cypress. We'll see you next week.